Until You
by olivejuice26
Summary: At the start of her senior year in a new school, Bella is assigned a project with a partner who has a harrowing tale to tell. She soon learns that the kind boy she's working with hides a broken spirit behind a smile that convinces everyone but her. With him, she will discover how to love through adversity; with her, he will uncover a passion to live and love without bounds. AH, OOC
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, friends. It's been a while, but I decided to start a new story with the help of my amazing beta and friend, Chicsarah. She is, without a doubt, one of the best people I have ever known, and I love her for always being supportive, excited for new stories, and amazing at making my work readable.**

 **Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable characters herein. No copyright infringement is intended.**

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"Hey kid, time to get up."

"Ugh," I groaned, having just turned my alarm off.

"I hear ya, but I don't make the rules. I'd hate to have to arrest you for truancy," my dad chuckled.

"I've dropped out," I said, muffled because my face was still tucked tight into my pillow.

Suddenly it got a bit brighter in my room, only just marginally. Dad had opened the blinds of the window.

I peeked out, laughing at his attempt.

"That'd have worked better if it was sunny out."

"Yeah, didn't see that through. Anyway, get up. Breakfast is ready," he said, walking from the room. I rolled over with a sigh and climbed out of the bed.

Today was my first day of my senior year. At a new school. To say I was nervous was an understatement.

I missed my friends and my school in Jacksonville. I missed familiarity.

I grabbed my phone, checking the couple of texts, Facebook notifications, and Snapchats I had from my friends back home. I smiled, wishing like anything I was starting school with them today.

But I couldn't be upset about my decision to move in with my dad. My mom and her new husband deserved their honeymoon phase. And my dad and I deserved more time together before I was on my own.

My dad, despite living so far away, and despite me only seeing him for a few weeks throughout the year, was my best friend. Ever since I could remember, he called me every evening to get his "daily dose of sunshine." (I joked that in a town like Forks, it was the only sunshine he got.) And even as a teenager, I told him about everything new in my life. So, other than having to move to a new town across the country, start a new school, and make new friends, I was happy that I was here.

I got ready quickly, brushing my long, straight brown hair and putting on a bit of mascara and blush. I put on some black jean leggings and a long, flowing cream shirt. I would have normally worn cute flats, but with the weather, I slipped on some low healed brown ankle boots instead. The difference in weather between sunny Jacksonville and rainy Forks could get old.

I grabbed my book bag, my phone, and my keys and made my way downstairs. I had an older red Honda that my dad and I had driven from Jacksonville. He flew down, we loaded it up, and we made the five day trip across the country.

When I got downstairs, there was a box of donuts on the table, a large iced coffee beside it.

"Happy first day, Bells," my dad said, nodding to the table over his opened paper. He was in his signature uniform with the shiny Chief's badge and standard issue gun prominent. I guess I was old enough now not to be scared that there were guns in the house.

"Thanks, dad," I said, walking to the cabinet above the microwave and pulling out the box of Splenda packets. I grabbed a few, and then went back to the table to stir them and some milk into my coffee. My dad had apparently gone out early to get an assortment of donuts, and I noticed he got two of my favorite, blueberry glazed.

"You want to ride with me today?" He asked.

"Naw, I'll take myself. I don't think the new kid showing up in a police car would win me many cool points," I said, breaking off a bite of donut and popping it into my mouth.

"Baby girl, being my daughter gets you all the cool points you could ever need," he said with a wink. I snorted around my straw.

"Alright, well I'm heading out. You remember how to get to the school from here?" He asked.

"Follow the one road in town for about ten minutes then turn left into the school parking lot?" I asked.

"Close enough. Call if you get lost," he winked. He stood up and pulled on his jacket, grabbed his keys, coffee, a donut for the road (I laughed to myself just imagining a cop going through the drive-thru at a donut shop), and walked out the front door.

I finished my own donut, washed my hands, and walked out to my car with my book bag slung over one shoulder. Surprisingly, it was only lightly misting, so I didn't need to cover up.

The drive to school was short, and I was on time enough to find a parking spot easily.

There were students crowded all around the front of the school, laughing and catching up from a summer off. I felt like the odd man out, envious of all of these people who had likely known each other all their lives. Despite having been born in Forks, I spent all of my life with my mother, traveling first to Phoenix and then to Jacksonville, so I didn't have any friends here. I was nervous about meeting people, finding friends that I would connect with, finding a rhythm here.

With a nervous sigh and an unwavering cluster of butterflies in my stomach, I walked into the school and turned into the front office.

When I walked in, there was only one lady behind the counter, shuffling papers.

"Hello..." I started, not wanting to be obtrusive.

"Oh, good morning. Welcome back!" She sang out cheerfully.

"Uh, I'm actually new here. This is my first year. At Forks, I mean. I think my dad registered me, but I need a schedule," I said.

"Oh, are you Isabella Swan? Yes, your dad came by for registration a few weeks ago. Let me just pull your file," she said, stepping back to open a large filing cabinet and shuffling through it. She pulled out a folder then, opening it and sorting the papers.

"Here is your schedule and a school map. You will need to go by the ID office sometime today to have your picture taken for your ID badge. It's just down the hall and to your right. Badges will be issued on Friday in homeroom," she explained.

"The first bell will ring shortly, so you are welcome to wait in here or step back outside with your friends," she said, slipping my folder back into the filing cabinet and sliding the drawer closed with a loud clank.

"Thanks. I'll just...yeah..." I said, turning and walking back into the hall. Before I could decide what to do, the first bell rang. I opened the paper with my schedule on it to find the room number for my first class, then turned to follow the students down the halls.

The morning moved quickly after that. The classes were shortened because we'd be starting the day with homeroom first this week. I met a few other people with a last name starting with S. A girl named Jessica Stanley sat beside me and introduced herself.

"I don't think I know you," she said. "I'm Jessica," she smiled kindly.

"I'm Bella. It's nice to meet you," I told her honestly. Just having someone take the initiative to tell me hello was putting my jumbled nerves more at ease.

"Well, welcome to Forks High," she said.

I ended up having math with Jessica second period, and she introduced me to two other girls, Lauren and Angela. They were both sweet, if not a little bit shy like me. They invited me to sit with them at lunch, for which I was grateful.

They introduced me to a few other kids at the table. All of them were polite and friendly. Some were in band, some played sports, some were in NJROTC. It was like a melting pot of cliques, and I appreciated that people around here didn't seem to be judged so harshly for their extracurriculars.

When the bell rang, I gathered my things and pulled out my map.

"Where you headed?" Angela, the girl with the soft voice, shiny black hair, and dark framed glasses asked me.

"Advanced Composition," I replied, pointing to the map. Because I had taken all of the English honors classes at my old school, and because Forks didn't offer any AP classes, this was the highest English class I could take. It was focused on writing, both professionally and creatively.

"Me, too! I'll walk with you!" She exclaimed. "If...that's okay?" She asked more hesitantly.

"Of course," I smiled.

The classroom was on other side of the campus, so when we reached it, most of the students were already in there. Only two seats remained, and Angela slipped into the one in the front, which left me with one on the far left of the back of the room. A girl I didn't recognize sat in front, and a boy I thought I had noticed at lunch was in the desk behind. I quickly sat in my desk and took out my notebook and a pen, waiting for the final bell to ring.

"Good afternoon, class! And happy first day of school! As my senior level Advanced Composition class, I hope you know that I'm proud to have each and every one of your gifted young minds in here this year. I'm Ms. Moore," she said.

Ms. Moore called the roll and let us know that, if it was okay with us, the seats we were in now would become our assigned seats, so that she could more easily remember who we each were.

She passed around the syllabus for the year, which outlined what we'd be studying and working on during each quarter.

"For each quarter of the year, you will be doing a project with a classmate or group of classmates. Today, I would like for you to go ahead and pair up with someone around you. Projects will formally begin next Monday, but this way you can go ahead and get acquainted with your partner."

I wished Angela and I had been sitting closer, but she immediately turned around to ask the guy behind her to be her partner. I couldn't remember, but I thought that was Ben, one of the guys from lunch that was in the band. Angela looked like an actual heart-eye emoji when she turned to look at him, and I sighed, knowing she'd had never picked me over her apparent crush.

I leaned forward, ready to tap the girl in front of me on the shoulder, but she turned to her right and asked the girl beside her.

I looked around, but quickly, all these kids who'd known each other for years were pairing off, and I was the new girl, the faceless among friends.

Finally, I heard a throat clear behind me and I turned to the boy.

"Would you like to be my partner?" He asked, not shyly but almost hesitantly, like he was used to hearing "no." Like there was a reason I'd be put off by his asking.

"Yes, please. Thank you," I answered, and his shoulders visibly relaxed. "I'm Bella," I said, and like a dork, I held out my hand to him.

"Edward," he replied and took my hand. He was wearing a fingerless glove on his hand like he was about to go lift weights. I thought it odd but didn't mention it. His handshake wasn't at all firm like I anticipated when I saw the well formed muscles of his arms under his t-shirt.

"So, are you new to Forks?" He asked politely, and I was happy that he was making conversation rather than just sitting quietly, awkwardly.

"Is it that obvious?" I asked with a chuckle. "Odd one out over here," I said, pointing to myself dramatically.

"I know the feeling," he said with a grimace.

"Were you once the new kid, too?" I asked, hopeful that I wasn't the first intruder this tiny town had ever seen.

"No..." he trailed off. His eyes, light greenish blue, looked incredibly sad in that moment. But he forced a smile on his face, and I noticed how handsome he was. His hair was brown with a tinge of red, cut close at the sides and gelled over neatly on top. His complexion was fair and smooth.

"Alright class," Ms. Moore started. "You will get the full instructions for this project next Monday, but for now, go ahead and exchange emails, numbers, add each other on Facebook, whatever it is you need to be able to contact your partner and stay abreast of the project," she said. If she heard one of the guys in the back chuckle at 'abreast', she ignored it.

"So, Bella, can I have your number?" Edward asked when I turned back to him. He winked and I laughed. His eyes and smile were brighter, more genuine.

I rattled off my cellphone number for him and plugged his into my phone.

"The bell will be ringing soon, folks. Go ahead and pack your belongings," Ms. Moore said. The classroom was loud with chatter as we all shuffled our things back into our bags.

I stood when the bell rang, turning back to Edward to bid him goodbye.

"Have a good rest of the day, Bella. I'll see you tomorrow," Edward smiled.

"Bye, Edward..." I trailed off, and suddenly, as he moved to leave the classroom and towards the second door at the back of the room, things started to make sense. Why there were ramps in all of the areas where there were also stairs, why there was an actual car parked in the one handicapped space at the front of the student parking lot, why Edward was wearing gloves on his hands.

Students gave him room but didn't gawk at him. He moved fluidly, rolling himself out of the room, the armless wheelchair carrying him with as much grace as if he were walking. And then I remembered my dad telling me about the football player at Forks High who, in the very first game of the season the year before, had suffered a catastrophic injury. Edward moved with the grace of someone who walked because, up until a year ago, he had been someone who walked.

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 **Thank you all for reading. Please let me know what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I am so, SO grateful for all of the reviews and love you all have shown for the first chapter. I cannot thank you all enough for your kind words and encouragement. As always, thank you to Chicsarah. She cleaned this up and spent a lot of time making this better for you guys. She is also helping me do the research to make sure we keep this accurate and plausible.**

 **Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable characters herein. No copyright infringement is intended.**

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"So how was your first week?" Angela asked on Friday. We were walking towards the building from the parking lot, and I noticed Edward up ahead propelling himself, seemingly effortless.

Walking beside him were who I'd learned were his friends. Emmett McCarty, the running back for the school's football team and Edward's former teammate. He walked proudly with his girlfriend, Rosalie Hale. She had sandy blonde hair and a kind face, her eyes framed with big hipster glasses. I'd learned that she was also in the band and was actually the drum major this year.

Behind them was Jasper Whitlock. Jessica mentioned him also being on the football team, but I didn't know what position he played. Holding his hand was Alice Cullen, Edward's younger sister. She was tiny with a short, dark brown bob. She played for the school's volleyball team. I only knew that because their first game was yesterday and I'd seen her wearing her jersey.

They were all laughing as they made their way towards the school. Emmett had a football in his hand. He tossed it to Edward, who caught it gracefully. I didn't know if I was just imagining the hollow look in his eyes that he seemed to hide behind an ever present smile.

"It was good," I smiled, pulling myself back into the moment and answering Angela. And the week had been good. My new girl status didn't bring much unwanted notoriety after the first day. The new friends I'd made, especially Jessica and Angela, had been welcome. Both were exceptionally kind. Even Lauren, who was very quiet and bookish, had started making conversation with me at lunch the day before.

Tyler and Mike were best friends who reminded me of Zac Efron and Corbin Bleu in High School Musical. I was just waiting for them to tell me to get my head in the game. They were both on the football team, too.

Ben, who sat across from Angela (and gave her the same adoring looks she gave him), was hilarious. He was a big reader and movie watcher, and his jokes kept us all in stitches most days. He could quote every funny movie and all the best Michael Scott quotes.

Then there was Eric, who made no secret about his crush on Emmett. His makeup was always flawless, and he did a contour better than a lot of YouTube beauty bloggers.

So far, my new group of friends had accepted me graciously, and I was happy to have people to help me find my way in this new place.

Angela and I got to the front courtyard where several other students were already there. We met up with Jessica and Eric, who were sitting at one of the picnic tables enjoying a reprieve from the rain.

"Morning, y'all," I said, causing the three of them to laugh.

"Scarlet O'Bella over here," Eric snorted.

I smiled, knowing they got a kick out of it when my southern accent slipped out more.

"Bell-aaa," Jessica sang, drawing out my name.

"Jess-ic-aaa," I replied.

"I like that. It puts 'ick' in her name," Eric snorted.

"Whatever, Er-IC!" Jessica laughed.

"Y'all are ridiculous," I said.

"Y'all are ridiculous, I do declare-a," Eric mocked, putting a hand over his chest and batting his eyelashes, which were framed with a perfect wing liner and painted delicately with mascara that probably cost more by the tube than a tank of gas for my car.

"I was just asking Bella if she'd had a good first week, but I can see now that she probably already wants to run screaming from you weirdos," Angela said, shifting the thick three-ring binder she was carrying to her other arm.

"Honestly, Bella, how has your week been?" Jessica asked sincerely.

"Not too bad. I have GOT to find some new friends soon, though," I winked, and they all just laughed with me as the bell rang and we dispersed our separate ways to class.

* * *

At lunch, I was sitting between Angela and Jessica. Ben was cutting up with Mike, Tyler, and Eric, and Lauren was munching on grapes and immersed into a thick book.

"So Ang, do you know anything about these big projects we have for Advanced Comp?" I asked. Truthfully, I wanted to know more about my project partner, since we hadn't exchanged more than a few simple pleasantries in class since the first day.

"Oh, yeah. Ms. Moore assigns the senior classes these big projects every year," she answered. I knew as much, of course. The syllabus explained that the first quarter was the partner project that explored a composition of reading and writing.

"I think this first one is the biography project," she said.

"Why do we need partners if we are writing a biography?" I asked.

"We are writing our partner's biography. That's why we have to do so much 'getting to know you' outside of class." At that, she glanced at Ben, a sly smile on her face. She was less obvious than she thought.

I nodded, but my heart was starting to thunder in my chest at the prospect of spending so much time with Edward. I wasn't sure why, but he made me nervous. He was, undoubtedly, very handsome. He also seemed well-liked and popular. It was evident that he tried not to let his recent disability dampen his spirit. I hadn't been around him much, but I was already starting to get the feeling that he was faking his positivity at times. He was good at making the people around him believe that, despite what he'd been through, he was happy.

I could be way off base in these assumptions, but something about his eyes, the way his smile never quite reached them, even though it was almost always big enough that it showed his beautiful teeth, gave me reason to believe that I was right.

I was about to spend the next nine weeks exploring my theory.

He sat now with the same group he'd been with this morning - Emmett, the hulking giant with dimples dotting each cheek; Rosalie, who sat beside her boyfriend laughing and pushing at the large framed glasses on her nose, brushing her hair over to one shoulder and then back behind her again and again; Jasper, whose curly blonde hair cut close to his head matched perfectly with his icy blue eyes, which were bright and looking lovingly at the tiny girl beside him; and Alice, her face somehow showing a genuine, authentic happiness and glances of deep sadness when she looked across at her brother.

I wanted to meet these people, talk to them and find out more about them and Edward. I thought it said a lot about all of them that they kept up the pretense of normalcy for Edward's sake. But for all that, he was the only one uncoupled, the only one not part of a team or group outside of their clique.

I thought of all that he must have lost in the last year: football, self-esteem, freedom. This, again, made me nervous for the project. I had an overwhelming urge to know him, but an inexplicable fear of doing so. What if I messed up? What if I said something that would hurt him? I didn't want to become like everyone else-a reminder of what he'd lost along with his mobility.

"Oh," I finally responded to Angela lamely. But then, I decided maybe now was a good enough excuse to ask about Edward without seeming too obvious.

"So, um...what do you know...about my partner? Edward Cullen?" I asked, trying to look as though I was invested in my lunch, not the answers from Angela.

"Oh, he's a super nice guy. We aren't close or anything, but we've gone to school together since the first grade, and he's always been very kind. Such a shame what happened to him last year, though," she sighed, with a sadness in her expression that I'm sure was sincere but looked like the ones people wore when tragedy didn't directly involve them.

"What, um...what happened?" I asked.

Jessica chimed in then, cutting Angela off.

"Oh, it was awful. Last year, during the first football game of the season against PA High, he took a double hit in the back. It did something weird to his spine and now he totally can't walk," she said, the drama in her voice evidence that she'd told the story many times. "I think he almost died." Her eyes got wide to emphasize the horror of it all.

"He suffered a major injury to his spine, and it paralyzed him. He was out of school for most of the semester. He had several surgeries and physical therapy," Angela explained a bit more eloquently. "I think the only immobile part of him are his legs. He can drive and stuff with a special car, but he can't walk or move his legs on his own."

"Wow," was my dumbfounded response. "That...sucks," I finished.

"The worst part," Jessica continued, "was that his girlfriend totally cheated on him with his best friend while he was in the hospital!"

"Who is she?" I asked her.

"Oh, she graduated. Tanya Denali. She was actually super nice. She was the head cheerleader. I think she and Garrett, the guy she cheated with, are still together but I don't know. It was sad, but Edward seems to be fine now," Jessica shrugged.

"Huh," I said.

I looked over to Edward, talking to Emmett and Jasper. I could see the hesitancy with his hands, but it didn't stop him from using them while he spoke. Was he really fine? I can't imagine a person recovers physically, mentally, or emotionally from what he'd endured, at least not in a year's time. I didn't know how close or long-term his relationship had been, but being cheated on sucks. I knew that much for certain.

"But what are we telling you all this for? This is cheating on your project! You have to get to know him on your own," Angela said sternly.

I chuckled, more at the idea of me trying to ask these things to Edward. So why can't you walk? Oh, your girlfriend cheated on you with your best friend? Tell me more.

Still, I felt for him. He didn't seem like the kind of person who needed or wanted pity, but he'd been dealt a pretty terrible hand this last year.

Despite that, I wanted to know him. Even after a week and a few short interactions, I felt like there was more to him than just what was on the surface. He wasn't just Edward, star quarterback turned paraplegic whose girlfriend cheated on him. To be able to spend everyday working so hard to make those around him comfortable - to keep them laughing and hanging around him without worrying about his set-backs - that showed me that there was a lot more depth to him than most people probably knew. Maybe even more than he knew about himself.

The bell rang, startling me from my thoughts. I gathered my trash and zipped up my lunch box, collecting it and my book bag so I could head to my locker before class.

Suddenly I was nervous, preparing to face Edward. I felt almost like I'd invaded his privacy, learning what I knew from someone other than him. I was sure at this point this was all mostly public knowledge to the school, the town, maybe even the state. A paralyzed football player was big news for any small town.

But still.

I went by my locker, grabbing my three ring binder and the copy of "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" that we were studying first in our unit in Advanced Comp. I stuffed my lunchbox in there and closed it, shuffling into the crowd making my way to class.

When I got to the door, Edward was just about to go in. We kind of met in the middle.

"Go ahead," I urged, using my hand to gesture into the class.

"Ladies first," he smiled, gesturing before him.

"Thank you," I replied shyly.

I felt him behind me as I made my way towards my desk. He waited patiently for me to sit down and set my book bag behind my desk - I'd taken to putting it behind or to the right of me so it wasn't in his path when he made his way past.

He smiled again as he rolled past me, and then I listened as he situated himself at his desk.

Gently, I felt a tap on my shoulder, and even at just the simple touch, I felt a flutter deep in my stomach.

"Hey," I said as I turned to him.

"Hey yourself. Any big plans for the weekend?"

"Oh, um...probably just going to Port Angeles tomorrow," I shrugged. I wasn't even sure if I was doing that, but I was out of a few things and I read online that they had a Target and Ulta.

"Oh, cool. P A is a fun town," he said with a nod.

"What about you?" I asked hesitantly.

"Not much. Just the football game tonight. It's a home game and the first of the season. I'll be there watching Em and Jazz play," he said, and the sadness, the secret, silent despair in his eyes, was enough that I ached for him. He wanted desperately to be out on that field with his friends. Why he put himself through the torture of going, I wasn't sure. And if this was the first game, wouldn't that bring back painful memories for him? Wouldn't now be, like, the one year anniversary or close to it? I couldn't imagine that being there would be easy.

"Oh. That sounds...fun?" I said, not meaning for it to become a question but still unable to picture it being anything other than torturous.

"Yeah," Edward chuckled. "It will be. The atmosphere of the games is like nothing else. The noise of the band, the bright lights, the smells of the concessions, hearing your name chanted by the crowd-" he stopped short and sucked in a breath, seemingly realizing how caught up he was in picturing what used to be for him.

"Anyway," he continued after a pause. "It's fun to watch your friends play. You should come. A bunch of us will be in the student section," he offered, his signature grin back in place.

"Yeah, I'll...I'll think about it," I replied, smiling at him.

Ms. Moore called everyone's attention then and I turned back around. A football game sounded like about the least entertaining thing I could do on a Friday, but then, it'd be a chance to be around new people, integrate into their world, continue forging friendships. Charlie would be proud of me. And it'd be a chance to be around Edward.

I couldn't deny that that prospect had its appeal. Edward was, without a doubt, one of the most handsome and well-liked boys at the school.

I wondered about that, too. At my old school in Phoenix years ago, a school about five times the size of Forks High, there had been a girl who was wheelchair bound and had been for as long as anyone knew. No one was outright mean to her-it was more that no one was much of anything to her, but she was often alone. People gave her space-so much so that she never seemed to be talking to or interacting with anyone. It always made me feel sad for her, but we had no classes together and weren't in the same grade, so I never took the chance to try and get to know her. And maybe truthfully, more selfishly, I didn't feel like putting in the energy and effort for it.

But Edward? He seemed to be adored by many. He didn't seem to have any shortage of friends. He seemed to always have someone around him, talking to him and laughing with him. So why, then, did he seem so incredibly lonely? Why did I feel, in my gut, like outside of these school walls, outside of the constant parade of friends, that he must live a very different life when he wasn't here?

Again, I berated myself for these assumptions. I didn't know anything about him, really, save for what I'd learned at lunch. And he did have a sister, after all. Maybe he was happier than I imagined. Maybe his friends weren't just school acquaintances, but people he spent genuine time around. Maybe...maybe eventually I could become a friend like that.

Me, the other hand, I really was lonely. I knew that this weekend would leave me to my own devices. My dad had to work all weekend, since he was on a swing shift. He'd be off some during the week and next weekend, and he'd already promised that we'd spend some time together, but as for this weekend? It was just me, myself, and maybe the dollar bin at Target.

* * *

After school, I ran into Angela, Jessica, Lauren, and Eric walking to their cars.

"Hey y'all," I called out to them.

Eric turned around, a gleam in his eyes, but he saved his southern girl mocking and spared me.

"Hey, Bella. We were just talking about you. Do you want to come to the football game with us tonight?" Angela asked kindly.

"You should totally come, Bella! It's always a fun Friday," Jessica said excitedly.

"Yeah, even I have fun," Lauren said softly with a shrug.

"Plus, you get an eye-full of football player ass," Eric said with a wink. And then, "I do declare, Miss Swan, it may even give you the vapors." Yep, there it is.

"Ohh, do Mike and Tyler know they're eye candy?" Jessica asked.

"Pssh, girl please. I am not looking at those boys. I'm talking about men, like Emmett McCarty. That man is finnnne," Eric said.

"You bet I am!" Emmett said from behind us, and we all turned and saw him standing there with Jasper, Edward beside them with hands on the wheels of his chair.

To Eric's credit, he looked slightly embarrassed at being overheard.

"You guys coming to cheer us on tonight?" Emmett whooped.

"Yep, we'll be there, big guy," Jessica said with a smile, clearly happy to be talked to by one of the popular players.

"Y'all better stay for the halftime show, too. My girl has worked hard all summer with the band to get the show perfect," Emmett said sternly.

I loved the anomaly of this school. In what world did a star football player date a drum major of the band? The real world of Forks, it seemed.

"And keep Eddie here in a good mood while he's in the student section," Emmett said.

Edward, who'd been quiet this whole time, looked strained as he forced a smile at us. I could tell that comment had really bothered him, not that Emmett had meant it maliciously.

"Yeah, Alice will be there, too, probably bugging the crap out of him," Jasper said. Maybe he was aware of how Edward was feeling, because he seemed to be trying to reign in the thoughts going through all of our minds.

Edward's faced softened.

"You'll be there, Bella?" He asked, a genuine smile on his face. I couldn't stop my own grin when he beamed up at me.

"Yeah, I think I will," I replied, forgetting that people were around us, caught up in the brightness of Edward's eyes.

"Awesome. Save me a seat," he laughed with a wink. I chuckled back at him, though hearing him joke at his own expense made me sad, too.

"Ohh, Bella! Edward was totally flirting with you!" Jessica said once the guys were out of earshot.

"No, he wasn't! We are partners in Advanced Comp. He probably just wants to use this chance to get to know me better," I said, though the fluttering in my stomach was getting stronger at the idea that maybe he had been flirting. At her pointed look, I continued, "for the assignment!"

"Whatever, girl. That was flirting," she smiled.

Lauren, who had remained quiet throughout the entire interaction, looked like someone had kicked a puppy in front of her. I didn't have to think too hard to assume that it had something to do with Edward, and Jessica's implications that he'd been flirting with me.

I looked away sheepishly, then bid them all a goodbye as I walked to my car.

On the drive home, my thoughts were becoming increasingly aware of some things. First, that the fluttering I felt in my gut at the idea of going to the game tonight had everything to do with one person. Second, that said person was trying really hard-maybe even too hard-to cling to the normalcy that was his life up until a year ago, and that most of his friends and peers had no idea just how much it was hurting him. And third, that I really, really hoped Angela had been right and that he had, in fact, been flirting with me.

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 **Please continue to let me know what you think. I do appreciate everything you have to say. Thank you, friends.**


	3. Chapter 3

**NOTE: A guest reviewer said Chapter 3 wasn't loading. I don't know if this is a FF website error or not, so I am reposting the last three chapters. Chapter 6 should be up tomorrow. I apologize in advance for the emails you get from this.**

 **Thank you to Chicsarah, as always, for making this worth of reading.**

 **To LayAtHomeMom, thank you thank you thank you for the recommendation. I hope you continue to enjoy this story.**

 **(If you haven't read any of her work, you definitely should. You won't be disappointed.)**

 **Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable characters herein. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

By half time, Forks High was up by 3 and my anxiety was up by about 300.

The student section was packed with a bunch of kids, most of whom I had seen but never met. There was a group of guys with actual painted chests that spelled out Spartans.

Other students wore shirts and pants and hair and faces decorated with school colors and the mascot.

And me? I was in blue jeans and a burgundy long sleeved tunic, the only thing I had close to the correct color. I was sitting with Angela, Jessica, Lauren, and Eric. The girls were all in FHS t-shirts, but Eric was dressed as usual in skinny jeans and a tight shirt. His makeup, however, was a heavy mixture of gold and burgundy. Who knew he had so much school spirit? Or, rather, Emmett Spirit.

I had yet to see Edward or his sister, Alice, and I was beginning to worry that something was wrong.

That is, until half-time began and the announcer came on.

"Ladies and gentleman, please direct your attention to the field. Tonight, we honor Edward Cullen, Forks High School senior, for his exceptional performance as quarterback in the 2015-2016 school year as a sophomore. A year ago, Edward was tragically hit during a game, rendering him unable to continue the season or his football career. But today, we celebrate him, as he's made a tremendous recovery and still remains a proud Spartan."

Edward, flanked by his sister and two people, who I assumed were his parents, made their way out on the field. The older man, a salt and pepper version of Edward, was using one hand to help push Edward's wheel chair while Edward propelled himself one handed and waved with the other.

The crowd all around us stood to their feet, and I had to choke back the sadness of the bitter irony that everyone was standing to honor a person who likely never would stand again.

"Wow, did you know they were doing this?" Jessica asked Angela in a hushed whisper.

"Nope, but it's really nice," Angela said.

Edward, who had one of his signature smiles plastered on his face, took the entire thing with grace. Then, he looked toward the student section, where we were all clapping for him. He caught my eye and his smile faltered. That stung. Why would seeing me upset him? I wondered.

"Tonight, we retire Edward's jersey, number 17!" The announcer said, and again the cheering continued. Principal Green stepped out with Edward's jersey folded neatly, handing it to him carefully. Edward took it politely and shook his hand, laying the folded jersey in his lap.

Shortly after, Edward and his family moved back to the sidelines and the band took the field. Rosalie climbed the drum major stand and prepared to direct the band through its performance. Her full, light blonde hair was tied back into a bouncing ponytail, big shimmery earrings on her ears and her glasses sitting high on her nose. She was gorgeous in a girl next door way.

The band performed and sounded great. Angela watched the drum line pit with focus as Ben moved rapidly across the xylophone.

Eric and Jessica were dancing behind us to the music, and Lauren was smiling, looking to the left towards the ramp that led up to the stands. I turned to see what caught her attention and realized Edward was pushing himself up the ramp to join us, Alice behind him.

Alice was in a Spartans t-shirt, and Edward was now wearing the jersey that had been folded up and presented to him moments before.

"Hey, guys!" Alice called, her voice light and musical. She was shorter up close than I'd realized, coming up only to my shoulder.

"Hey, Alice!" They all called.

"Hello, Bella," Edward said as he moved to the big empty space between the railing and the bleacher seat. I'd wondered if the student section had always been over on this side of the stands, where the only wheelchair ramp was, or if it had been strategically moved there.

"Edward, hi," I said, a little breathless.

"Sorry we're late. I, ah, didn't know about that," he said, nodding his head towards the field. His cheeks were flushed and his face looked embarrassed.

"Oh, no worries," I told him. I took my seat at the end of the front row where I'd been sitting, and Edward backed up so that he was beside me to my left. He put the brake on his chair and sat back, his hands in his lap.

"That was...weird and embarrassing," he said.

"Why? I thought it was nice that they honored you like that," I said thoughtfully.

"I'm just...tired of the attention. I was ready to start this year just being normal. Or as normal as I can be. That was just another reminder," he said, and I was surprised that he was being so candid with me.

"Edward, I...I think people just want you to know they are proud of you. For what you've been able to overcome," I said softly.

"I guess I can't escape it. People will always see me as the crippled boy now."

"I don't...see you that way," I whispered to him.

He looked up and into my eyes, and the sadness in his was startling. It was a despair I'd never seen on anyone in person. He was truly, tremendously heartbroken.

"Hey, you must be Bella!" I heard to my right and saw Alice stretch down the bleachers, hopping to the bottom, taking a seat beside me. "I'm Alice, Edward's sister."

"Hi, Alice. It's nice to meet you," I told her.

"You, too! Edward's mentioned you. Said you guys are doing a big project together," she explained.

"Yep. Looks like you'll probably be seeing a lot of me so I can get to know him well enough to write the project," I said.

"Well good, I think I'll like having you around," she said. I wondered why, when she'd only just met me. I turned back to Edward, who was silent as I'd talked to his sister.

"Edward," I started, prepared to say more about what he and I had talked about. But I could see in his face that he was tired, so tired of talking about it. So I changed course when he looked up at me expectantly.

"I'm, uh...do you...maybe want to go...to Port Angeles? With me? Tomorrow, I mean. We could, you know, get to know each other and work on our projects or something."

"Where did you say you were going again?" He asked.

"Probably just a few places. Target and Walmart to get some stuff," I answered.

"Oh, um. I can't tomorrow. But maybe we could meet on Sunday? Go get coffee or something. Or you could...come to my house?" He asked.

"Yeah, that sounds great," I said. Part of me was relieved and part of me was disappointed that he wasn't coming to Port Angeles with me. But mostly I was excited that we'd get to hang out this weekend.

"Cool," he smiled. "I'll text you the address this weekend."

"Sounds good," I smiled. And then the game started back, and we all cheered and clapped and yelled as Jasper Whitlock threw the final pass to Tyler Crowley and Forks High sealed their first season win. Edward, who cheered and hollered with the rest of us, looked every bit the excited fan and did a great job masking the hidden longing that was evident in him.

When the pass was made and the announcer proclaimed Forks the winner, Edward reached up to high five us each. I got the last one and the few extra seconds that neither of us wanted to let go was enough to send the finally subsided flutters in my stomach back into full swing.

* * *

I slept in the next morning, tired from a late evening out. After the win, lots of people went to Waffle House for a post-victory meal. It had been packed, and I had been wedged into a small booth between the window and Eric. Jessica and Angela sat across from us, and we'd all laughed, drank burnt coffee and ate hash browns late into the night.

Edward had been there with his friends, sitting around a booth on the other side of the old jukebox. Every time I chanced a look his way, he was already looking at me. We'd make eye contact and he'd give me a broad, genuine, breathtaking smile, while I returned a shy grin.

I'd been surprised when, as the four of us were walking to the cash register to pay, I'd felt an arm reach out and grab mine gently. I looked down to see Edward holding onto my arm, stopping me at his table.

"Bella, I wanted to introduce you to my friends, since I know you're still meeting people around school. Guys, this is Bella Swan, my partner in Advanced Comp and new friend," he said confidently as he dropped my arm and I turned to face everyone.

"Bella, what up, girl?" Emmett said. "I'm Emmett," he smiled. I guess I hadn't really been introduced to him earlier when he was talking to us after school.

"I'm Rose," the girl beside him offered kindly. "Welcome to Forks. It doesn't look like much, but it grows on you," she laughed.

"I'm Jasper," the curly blonde boy said from where he sat across from Rose.

"And you met me earlier!" Alice piped in.

"It's nice to meet you guys," I smiled.

"So, did you have fun at the game?" Edward asked, as his friends turned back to each other and continued whatever conversation they had been having. Edward sat at the end of the booth, his chair pushed towards it, but he moved so that he was facing me now.

"I did. It was...different," I said. I'd never gone to any of the football games at my old schools. I knew they were a big to-do in Jacksonville, because football and the south were kind of a packaged deal. I'd just never cared to go because none of my friends went.

"Different...good?" Edward asked, and I loved how genuine the sparkle in his eye was right now. He was happy, despite being embarrassed at halftime, despite not being on the field and helping his team to victory.

"Very good," I breathed.

"Good. I'm really glad you came, Bella," Edward said.

"Well, I never pass up hash browns," I laughed. Edward chuckled with me.

"I meant to Forks. I'm glad you moved to Forks," he said quietly, and from where he was, his hand was beside me leg. He lightly grazed it, a gesture that felt more intimate than it probably was intended to. It set my heart into overdrive and my stomach into free-fall.

"Me, too," I whispered, leaning into his touch so that he was now cupping the back of my leg behind my knee. Several long seconds passed as I felt his thumb rub gentle circles on my leg, and even through my jeans I could feel the fire of his touch, heating a path across my leg. I shivered involuntarily.

"Bella, you coming?" I heard from the door.

Edward dropped his hand and the trance between us was broken.

"I gotta go," I said, and I was sure the sadness in my voice was obvious.

"Okay. I'll see you Sunday?" He asked.

"Yeah, definitely. Your house still?" I asked.

"My house, if that's okay. It's just easier that way," he said, and his voice took a sad edge to it as he glanced down at his chair.

"Okay, perfect," I smiled, not wanting this moment to become tarnished by his worries.

"I'll text you with a time and address. Have a good night, Bella," Edward said.

"Goodnight, Edward," I whispered back, reluctantly turning to leave.

As I got to the door, I remembered I needed to pay my bill.

"We got you tonight, B," Angela said with a wink. "You can spot one of us next time."

"Thanks, guys," I said, once again feeling happy that I'd met these crazy, quirky, wonderful people.

I'd fallen asleep quickly, tired from a long night, a long week, even. My dad had come in early the next morning to tell my goodbye and kiss me on the head when he left for work, and then I'd promptly rolled over and went back to sleep.

It was now 10 am, and I was tired of being in the bed. I got up and went immediately for the shower I'd neglected the night before. I still smelled like football field and stale coffee. I washed quickly, lathering my hair and rinsing it clean before rubbing in some deep conditioner.

Once I was done, I took time blow drying and flat ironing it, knowing it would still look decent a day later and smiling to myself when I thought about why I cared so much how it'd look tomorrow.

I dressed in an old t-shirt and leggings and slipped on some flats. My keys and purse were downstairs, so I grabbed my phone and went down to prepare to head to Port Angeles.

On the kitchen table was a note with several items and my dad's debit card. On it, he asked if I could get some groceries today and told me to use the card for whatever else I needed.

"The pin is your birthday" it read. I loved my dad so much.

I slipped the note and card in my wallet and left, figuring I could pick up a late breakfast while I was out later. Target probably had a Starbucks in it, which meant I'd probably get a caramel macchiato.

The drive wasn't bad as I followed the GPS on my phone. I went by Ulta first, in need of a few things for my hair and, inspired by Eric's fabulous lashes, decided to grab a new tube of mascara. Even though my dad offered up his card, I used my own, knowing I had some saved in the bank and figuring $28 mascara was not what he'd had in mind when he wrote that note.

After Ulta, I went by Old Navy, which was in the same shopping center. I wanted some better boots if the weather was going to be a constant rainy affair. A found a pair that worked, along with a raincoat on the clearance rack.

Finally, I made my way to my intended destination. The weather had held off all morning, but the rain was starting now. I used my teeth to rip off the tag on my new coat and slid it on before climbing out of the car. I didn't have socks and wasn't prepared to break in new boots, so I'd just have to endure cold, wet feet in my flats.

Target was a warm, bright beacon for me as I happily pulled a shopping cart free and worked my way through the store. Since it was the beginning of the year, school supplies were still out. I grabbed some packs of paper, notebooks, binders, and book covers I still needed. And maybe some cute sticky notes shaped like tacos, a pack of multicolored pens, and a mini chandelier for my locker that I didn't need.

I also found some stuff for my room-a new bedding set because the old flannel blanket and sheets I had on there now weren't going to cut it, a few new towels because my dad clearly hadn't replaced his ever, a new pan and cooking utensils because I was trying to learn to cook more and my dad's 'non-stick' pans were about as non-stick as the cooktop itself, and some scented plug-ins, because, well, I shared one bathroom with an adult man.

I sent my dad a quick text to confirm that the amount I was spending was okay, and once I had an affirmative, I went towards the front of the store to find an open line. It was early yet, so only one was opened.

"Hi! Did you find everything okay?" The cashier asked. She had the prettiest, longest strawberry blonde hair and bright eyes.

"I did, thanks," I said, stopping when I saw her name tag. Surely, out of all the people in all this area, she wasn't the same one. She looked about my age, but I was sure there had to be more than one person with her name in the area.

It would explain why Edward didn't want to come to Target with me, though. Supposing I didn't just admit to myself had maybe the idea of shopping with me sounded boring.

"Your total is $160.75," the girl, Tanya, said. I tried to remind myself that my dad said it was okay, but it made me feel guilty spending that much money with his card.

"Thanks for shopping at Target. Come back soon!" She said, and since no one was behind me, she stepped away from her register.

That's when I noticed a small, rounded belly under her red polo shirt.

Whoa.

I left quickly, pushing my cart out to my car in the rain that was steady falling faster now, and loaded everything into the back of my car.

Once I was back in the car, I let out a loud sigh. So much for my hair staying decent until tomorrow, I thought.

Walmart was back towards Forks, so I reset the GPS on my phone and made my way back. It was just after noon, and I was starving. In my haste to get out of Target - for no real reason other than my own discomfort - I'd forgone Starbucks.

I decided to go to Dunkin instead, figuring I'd earned a bagel and cream cheese after a morning shopping in the rain.

I munched on it in my car in the Walmart parking lot, bracing myself before going in to get groceries. I'd added some things to my dad's list and used my phone to find some easy recipes on Pinterest to try this week. Once I had myself in order, I made a run for the door and shook off the water as I eased the hood down on my jacket.

With my cart ready, I went straight for the groceries, and walked right into Lauren.

"Oh, hey girl," I said cheerfully.

"Hey, Bella," she said.

"We missed you at Waffle House last night," I told her.

"Oh, yeah. My parents are kind of strict, so I had to go home. Who...who all was there?" She asked hesitantly.

"Oh, just Angela, Jessica, Eric, and me. And a bunch of people whose names I couldn't tell you if I tried," I laughed.

"Cool," she said.

"Edward and his friends were there, too," I said hesitantly. At that, her smile brightened.

"Yeah? That's cool. He's...cool," she said again, and I was starting to think maybe she wasn't as well read as she seemed for her lack of vocabulary.

"Yep, he seems nice," I said. I didn't want to give away too much because I really was getting the feeling that she had a thing for him. And if she did, I didn't want to be the one who messed that up. Whatever was-or wasn't-between Edward and me was basically non-existent at this point. No use in getting one of my new friends on my bad side already for potentially nothing.

"Anyway, I got to get home," she said, holding up an arm full of bags. "Have a good weekend," she called.

"You, too. Bye, Lauren," I said to her.

I guess she got the information she wanted out of me and was ready to book it. Whatever, I shrugged.

I got home an hour later, and blessedly the rain had stopped. Only the drops coming from the wet tree branches and dropping off of the side of the porch as I walked up the stairs and into the house were splashing me. I got everything unloaded and spent the rest of the day washing my new bedding and towels, and getting my room organized a little more.

Once my new stuff was in place, it was starting to finally feel like my space. Maybe one day I'd have friends in here with me. Or, maybe even a boy.

But then I thought about the only boy I'd want to invite up here, and I realized with an aching sadness that he'd never be able to see it, my upstairs bedroom.

* * *

On Sunday, I was ready and out of the door by 12:30. Edward had texted me his address that morning, and I had replied confirmation that I'd be there. My heart was still fluttering at the "Can't wait" with a winking emoji I'd received from him.

Today was my dad's last day of work and then he'd be off for a few days. We'd talked a bit the night before as he gobbled up the chicken tenders I'd baked for him, from a recipe on the back of a Bisquick box, and made mashed potatoes and broccoli with it. He seemed happy with the well-balanced change up from the pizza and Chinese we'd been consuming most of the week before.

"I hate to leave you alone all weekend. Did you find your way around okay today?" He asked, dabbing a bite of chicken into some homemade honey mustard.

"Yep, I did. PA is a neat town. Thanks for letting me get all of the stuff I got today," I told him.

"You don't have thank me, baby girl. I'm just happy you're happy," he smiled. Such a gentle soul, my dad.

"You got any plans for tomorrow?" He asked, scooping up a buttery bite of potatoes.

"Actually, I'm going to a classmate's house to work on a project," I told him.

"Oh? Anyone I'd know?"

"Probably. It's Edward Cullen?" I trailed off.

"Oh, yeah. Good kid. Damn shame what happened to him last year," dad said gruffly.

And for the first time, I got a glimpse at what Edward must feeling like. His days must be filled with pitying stares and 'damn shames'.

"Yeah, but he seems to work around it well. He has a lot of friends, and he's really nice," I said. Dad must have picked up on my tone because he glanced up at me with amusement on his face.

"Good looking boy, too, isn't he?" Dad said, picking up his glass of the cold sweet tea I had made him. If he was put off by how southern this meal was, he didn't say so.

"Yeah, he's...not bad," I said. Not bad? Calling Edward 'not bad'? Now that was a damn shame.

"Well, have fun. Their house is kind of back in the woods, so be careful going over there," he said, and blessedly, that was the end of our boy talk.

Dad had helped me clean up after dinner and then we went to the living room. He was watching Chopped on the food network, and I'd grown bored, so I went up to my room. I'd spent the rest of the evening browsing Facebook, still hoping for a friend request that hadn't come. By ten, I was wiped and fell into a cozy sleep under my fluffy new comforter, my heart both light and nervous for the following day.

Roughly 14 hours later, after a restless sleep and a morning of busying myself with laundry and more primping than I cared to admit, I was on my way to Edward's. I realized too late that I had way over estimated the time it would take to get to his house as I turned down the long, dirt driveway at 12:40. I'd thought about driving past and killing time on the road, but then I was afraid I'd get lost, so I hoped being a little early was okay.

The road was about a half a mile long, and then opened to a large clearing with a spacious two story house on it. There was a garage attached, and a separate four door garage across from it. A small sidewalk had been paved from the detached garage and led up to a ramp at the far corner of the wrap around porch. There were steps in the middle leading to a front door with an ornate stained glass window.

I parked in the grass off to the side. There were two other cars parked out there, an older silver jeep and a candy apple red Mustang.

I got out of the car and reached to the back seat to get my book bag. I'd worn jean leggings and a black, long sleeved t-shirt, as the air had been cooler this morning. I hadn't wanted to overdress, but I wanted to look presentable.

I walked to the house, climbed the steps, and rang the doorbell.

I could hear footsteps coming from somewhere in the house, and my nerves picked up because that meant Edward wasn't answering the door.

"Bella! Come on in!" Alice said as she opened the door. She was in yoga pants and a volleyball t-shirt, her short hair pulled back into a little half bun thing at the back of her head.

"Hey, Alice. Thanks. Sorry, I think I'm a little early," I told her as I followed her into the house. There was a big living room off to the left, a staircase straight ahead with a hallway beside it that led toward the back of the house. She turned right and walked through a door. I followed her, realizing it was the kitchen. It was big, clean, and cozy.

"The boys are in the garage," she said by way of explanation as I followed her.

"Oh," I said, wondering why they'd be out there.

I didn't wonder for long, though. When we stepped out, Edward, Jasper, and Emmett were all in there.

Edward was laying face up on a weight bench, his strong arms lifting a barbell with large weights on each end. I could see the muscles of each arm in the t-shirt he was wearing, since the sleeves were cut off. His chair was off to the side, and Emmett was above him spotting him while Jasper was jabbing at a punching bag.

"Oh," I said again, though it probably sounded more like a squeak, because... oh, my.

Emmett helped Edward set the bar back on the rack, and Edward lifted himself up. He used his arms to turn his sweatpants covered legs so that he was sitting sideways on the bench.

"Bella!" He said brightly, surprised that I was there beside Alice. "Crap, what time is it?" He asked more frantically.

"Oh, it's okay. I'm...early. Sorry," I mumbled.

"Don't be! I didn't realize it was already a quarter til' one," he said. He reached over then, pulling his chair to him. With much more ease than I would have expected, he lifted himself up by the arms and deftly slid himself into his chair. He pulled the weight lifting gloves off of his hands and rolled to me.

"Do you mind if I go grab a quick shower and then we can get started?" He asked.

I had to force myself to nod, too distracted by the thick muscles of his arms, the sweat dripping down his neck, the wetness of his grey shirt. Breathe, Bella.

"I'll be quick, I promise," he winked, then rolled himself up the mini wooden ramp at the door and into the house.

"Hey, Bella," Emmett said, laying on the weight bench Edward had just been on while Jasper walked over to spot him. "Hi," Jasper said politely.

"Hey, guys," I smiled.

"Jazz, are you almost done? I want to watch a movie," Alice asked.

"Yeah, babe. We just have one more set," he said to her.

"K. Come on, Bella. We can go hang out in the living room," she said, and I followed her back into the kitchen.

"You want a Coke?" She asked as she stepped to the fridge.

"Oh, sure," I answered, grabbing a cold can from her gratefully.

I followed her to the living room and set my book bag down before taking a seat on the right end of the big white couch. There was a large TV above the fireplace. Alice flopped into a chair and turned it on, scrolling the channels before settling on reruns of Friends.

"Your parents aren't home?" I asked.

"Nope," she answered with a pop. "They went to PA to go eat samples for lunch at Costco and buy groceries," she laughed, and I chuckled. Her parents sounded like people I would like.

We watched in silence until we heard the kitchen door swing open about 10 minutes later. Around the same time, Edward came down the hall. He was in faded jeans and a grey t-shirt that hugged his chest nicely. His hair was damp, and when he got closer, I could smell how clean he was. Ugh, lord help me.

"Alright, dude, I'm headed out," Emmett said before taking a big sip from his blender bottle.

"Alright man, later," Edward said, reaching up to bump his fist.

"Later, bro. Later, Jazz," he called to Jasper.

"Later," Jasper said.

I felt like I was in a frat house.

Alice popped up then, and she and Jasper waved before going upstairs.

"So, ready to get started?" Edward asked as he moved so that he was in front of me while I remained on the couch.

"Sure," I said. He reached to the end table where there was already a notebook and pen, and I leaned over the side to get mine from my bag.

Once we each had them flipped over to blank pages, Edward continued.

"I guess we should start with the basics. Full name?" He asked.

"Isabella Marie Swan," I replied. He smiled as he wrote.

"That's pretty," he said.

"Thank you. And you?"

"Edward Anthony Cullen," he said as I wrote.

"How regal. You should be a prince," I laughed.

"Yeah, that'd be rich. A crippled prince," he snorted. I just looked down.

"Birthday?" I asked.

"June 20th. I'm 18," he said.

"September 13th. I'll be 18 soon," I replied.

And so we went, giving each other basic information about ourselves. Parents' names, where we were born (Edward had been born and raised in Forks), our favorite colors, our favorite subject in school (we both loved English), favorite TV shows.

We discovered that we both loved the Big Bang Theory and The Office. His guilty pleasure was Big Brother, mine was reruns of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. His favorite food was steak, mine was spaghetti. He loved alternative rock music, I liked movie scores, and we both disliked country music. He enjoyed movies, I wasn't a big fan of them. His favorite book series was the Lord of the Rings, mine was Harry Potter.

We spent the better part of an hour like this, discussing things we liked. It was all incredibly superficial, though, and I knew it wasn't going to get either of us far on the project.

"So, um..." I said, looking down at the sheet of question prompts Ms. Moore had given us. "Any major events in your life?" I asked, regretting it as soon as I asked and saw the way his face fell.

"Yeah," he laughed bitterly. "I guess you could say there was one."

"Edward, I didn't...I'm sorr-"

"Please, Bella. Don't say you're sorry," he said, the anguish on his face breaking my heart.

We both stayed silent for several long seconds.

"What's your favorite animal?" I asked then.

"Exotic or domestic?" He asked.

"Uh, both," I said.

"Well, I love horses. My parents used to take us down to Oregon where my aunt has a farm, and we'd ride them for hours," he said.

"When's the last time you went?"

"Not since...this. Can't very well put a wheel chair on a horse."

I sighed, trying to ignore yet another jab he'd taken at his own expense.

"What about domestic?"

"Dogs. Any kind of dog," he said.

"Me, too. But I'm a cat person mostly," I said, missing my mom's cat, Sassy, something fierce.

"If you could go on any reality show, what would it be?" He asked.  
"Next Great Baker, or something like that," I said.

"Oh, do you bake?" He asked.

"I can, but mostly just boxed stuff. And I can't decorate to save my life. I just love it, and if I had the skill, I'd love to be able to do it. Cake decorating is a very under appreciated art form," I declared with a laugh.

"You should bake me something. I'm sure it'd be delicious," he said. "I love brownies," he winked.

"You got it. And what about you? What reality show would you go on?" I asked.

"Hm, do they have a handicapped version of Survivor? Amazing Race? I definitely wouldn't be getting the HOH in Big Brother anytime soon," he said.

"Do you always do that?" I asked, my frustration bubbling over.

"Do what?" He asked.

"Bring the attention back to your wheelchair. Make fun of yourself. Be self-deprecating," I said.

"I don't-I mean, I-" he started.

"Why do you? I get it. You're in a wheelchair. It sucks that his happened to you, but from what I've seen, you haven't let it slow you down," I probed.

He stayed silent for several seconds, his eyes not leaving mine. Until finally he looked down, and his soft, quiet voice broke the tension.

"Bella, when people see me, this chair is all they see. They see it and they immediately know that I have a long list of things I can't do. Things I may never get to do again," he said sadly.

"So you go ahead and point it out so people can't do it for you?" I asked.

"I figure no one can make fun of me if I make fun of myself," he shrugged.

"Well, can you do me a favor?" I asked. I realized then that we were leaned in very close. We were sitting knee to knee, and his hands were clasped in front of him. I reached over and placed my hand over his.

"I can try," he whispered, his eyes boring into mine.

"Don't do that around me, please," I requested softly.

"What is it that you see when you look at me, Bella?"

"I see a boy who talked to me on the first day of school, when I was new and nervous. A boy who picked me to be his project partner because I didn't know anyone, even though he knew everyone," I said, and his breath hitched as my thumb ran soothing circles on the back of his still clasped hands.

"I see a boy who loves his friends so much that he goes to see them play football on a Friday night, even though it kills him that he can't be out there with them. A boy who spends every day making sure the people around him are happy, so that they don't realize the extent of his own unhappiness," I said finally.

"Bella," he said sadly.

His hands unclasped then, and he flipped one over so that his palm touched mine, our fingers interlocking around each other's. My heart was beating rapidly, the nerves turning into something else as I felt the strength of our connection, the strength of his grip on my hand, so different from when we'd first met.

"I see you, Edward. I _see_ you."

* * *

 **Thoughts? Let me know. I love hearing from you.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Your reviews and kind words leave me speechless. Thank you for loving this story and these characters.**

 **Chicsarah, as always, makes this better.**

 **Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable characters herein. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

That night, after a late dinner with my dad when he got home from work, I was laying in my bed, trying desperately to turn off my thoughts and get some rest.

But every time I closed my eyes, I pictured Edward, the pained look on his face from earlier that afternoon. We'd sat in silence for a while, our hands firmly clasped. He wouldn't meet my eyes, though, and it was unnerving.

"Edward," I'd said finally, willing him to come back to me from wherever his mind had carried him off.

"Bella, I...I think maybe this is enough work for the day," he said, pulling his hand from mine and backing away from where he was in front of me at the couch.

"Oh...okay," I said, my throat cracking around the need to cry. I'd gone too far. I'd said too much.

"It's just...I'm a little tired. From working out earlier and stuff," he said. I could tell it wasn't true, or at least it wasn't the reason he was ready to call it a day, but I also knew I wasn't going to push him anymore.

Even still, Edward had walked me to the door and stayed on the porch to watch me to my car, nodding his head at me when I waved one last time before turning my car to go back down the long driveway.

I was upset with myself, only because maybe I'd pushed too hard too soon. It was easy to forget that we'd only known each other a week. But I'd wanted him to know-needed him to realize-that how he saw himself wasn't how others saw him. At least, it wasn't how I saw him. I hadn't even know he was in a wheelchair when first I met him. And afterwords, it hadn't really made a difference.

But what I was seeing, more and more everyday, was that he was incredibly insecure, and even though every person around him could obviously see that he was in a wheelchair, he made a point to bring it up anyway. He didn't want it to be the elephant in the room, and I got that. But what he didn't understand was that it wasn't an issue for most people, and it only served to make those people uncomfortable when he focused attention on it, when he made a joke at his own expense or about people in wheelchairs in general.

I'd had a friend back in Jacksonville who was heavyset. It wasn't something the rest of us judged her on. We knew she was active and tried to be healthy, but that genetics had given her the short end. But she constantly brought it up. She put herself down so much that it was second nature. And when she'd laugh afterwords, we wouldn't. Because it hurt us to see her treat herself that way. She was a loving, smart, funny person, and she had no idea of her own self-worth. She made sure to put herself down first so no one could do it for her.

Edward was very much the same. He was so afraid of being teased or ridiculed for his disability that he made a mockery of it whenever he could. But what he didn't understand was that he wasn't doing it in front of a group of strangers who could potentially say something about it. He was doing it to his friends, who all knew what he'd been through and loved him anyway.

I rolled over in bed with a sigh, wondering if I would be able to help Edward to see himself clearly... if he'd even let me try. I was scared that I had ruined the budding friendship between us already, and we'd go back to class partners only. My heart sunk at the idea. I was already attached to the idea of him as a friend. I didn't want to lose him before I'd ever really gained him.

My phone caught my eye from my bedside table, illuminating in the late night darkness.

It showed a Facebook notification:

 _Edward Cullen would like to add you as a friend._

Nothing could stop my grin in that moment as I hit confirm, hoping beyond hope that this would bridge the gap I had created in us today.

I fell asleep pretty soon after that, the heavy sadness that had been pervading me all evening slowly dissipating and making way for a peaceful sleep.

* * *

The next day, I was sitting at lunch with Angela, Jessica, Ben and Eric. Lauren was, as usual, engrossed in a book. Mike and Tyler were talking about the game-not, of course, their own plays, but that of other players. And apparently, about people who didn't even play anymore.

"I just don't get why we can't let it go. Yeah, it sucks what happened to him, but can we not just get over it? Cullen wasn't that great of a player anyway," Mike said to Tyler. I glanced their way, biting my tongue. I didn't know what kind of player Edward had been, but I knew what kind of person he was, and he didn't deserve to be talked about.

"Seriously, man. We get it. You're crippled now. But the rest of us aren't. It's our team now," Tyler said.

"Hell yeah. Spartans!" Mike said.

"Spartans!" Tyler repeated.

Across from me, Eric rolled his eyes, clearly as over this testosterone fueled bro fest as the rest of us.

"You guys are being jerks," I heard, and glanced to my right to see Lauren looking up from her book.

"What do you care?" Mike said to her with a sneer.

"I care because Edward is a nice guy and it's really sad what happened to him," she said more forcefully.

"What, you got a crush on Cullen? Good luck with that. I bet he's a fun date to have. You gonna wipe his ass for him?" Tyler said, and I could feel my heart start to pound, my hands shaking with anger.

"Bella," Angela whispered to me. "Don't listen. They're jerks," she said. Jessica nodded her head, and they both stayed quiet beside me.

"What, like you two do for each other?" Eric snorted to Mike and Tyler.

"Oh, you wanna watch?" Mike taunted.

"Oh, honey, be serious. I will never be that desperate," Eric laughed, Angela and Jessica laughing with him, and Lauren smiling despite her aggravation.

I forced a half-hearted grin, but I was still seeing red. These guys had seemed so normal, if not a little boring, last week. It was clear that they had expected to receive more of the attention this year as senior football players. That Edward, who wasn't even a player anymore, was still receiving praise and recognition, was clearly a thorn in their sides.

If they only knew how little of the attention Edward even wanted.

I looked over at Edward, who was sitting with his friends and taking a sip from a water bottle. Emmett was saying something and Edward smiled, a genuine smile that I was happy to see after the way I'd left him the day before.

It made me happy to know that he was, in this moment, smiling. That his lunch hadn't been ruined by the two assholes who'd just ruined mine.

Thankfully, the bell rang, and I couldn't get away from the lunch table fast enough. I followed Lauren to the trash cans to dump my garbage, watching as she tucked her book under her arm and tossed her sandwich bag and empty soda can.

"Hey, you okay?" I asked her when I was behind her.

"Oh, yeah..." she said.

"Those two are jerks," I said, and she nodded.

"I just couldn't stand by and let them...say those awful things. Edward, he's such a nice guy, and people can be so mean," she said. Her voice trembled, with anger or unshed tears I wasn't sure. But for as much as I shared her sentiment, I was worried, too. She very clearly had a thing for Edward. I didn't think he knew, but I didn't know how he'd feel if he did. Maybe he'd like her back. She was quiet, petite, and kind. He'd have no reason not to.

Just like I had no reason for the irrational surge of jealousy at the idea of Edward and Lauren.

"Yeah, he is," I said. "I just hope they never say those things to his face," I said.

"Oh, they won't. They are totally scared of Emmett," she laughed.

We walked out of the lunch room and parted ways as she walked towards her class and I continued on to mine.

My anger was turning into nerves, the thump in my chest growing faster as I approached the classroom.

There hadn't been anymore contact between Edward and me since the friend request. At first I had wondered if he'd searched me out to add me, but then I realized we had a few mutual friends-Angela, Jessica, and Alice-and figured he'd found me through them.

He was already at his desk when I walked in, his head down reading from our assigned book.

I sat down in my own desk and dug out what I needed, wondering if or when he'd speak to me.

But until the last warning bell rang, until Ms. Moore told us to settle down for the lesson, there was nothing but silence from him.

We went over our selected reading, neither of us volunteering to answer questions. We discussed the biography and went over the important parts of information that should be incorporated when taking a person's entire life and condensing it into a short composition.

"Alright, class. I want you to spend the last 20 minutes of the period getting to know your partners. Learn the basics. Get the boring stuff out of the way so you can make way to more important details. I encourage you to make plans to meet often. Show each other baby pictures, home videos, whatever you have. Let each other into your lives and get to know one another. You may very well be sitting across from your life long best friend," Ms. Moore finished.

I hesitated briefly before finally turning around in my desk so that I could see Edward.

"Hey," I said cautiously.

"Hi," he said back.

We just looked at each other, neither sure how to start.

"So, I guess we got-" Edward finally said, at the same time as I blurted out a rushed, "l'm sorry."

Edward stopped and looked at me, confused.

"Bella, why are you apologizing?" He asked.

"For yesterday. For pushing you, and upsetting you. For crossing boundaries and acting like I have any idea what you're going through. Sometimes I forget I've only known you for a week, because it feels like so much longer, and I just want you to see what I-"

"Bella! It's okay, it's okay," he said, stopping my anxious rambling. He'd reached his glove covered hand across so that it was on my left hand that I had resting on the back of my desk chair.

"Edward," I said, and I felt his thumb softly stroke the back of my hand.

"Bella, if anyone should apologize, it's me. You called me on my bull yesterday, something I'm not used to. I shut down and shut you out when I should have been thanking you for saying what you said to me," he said softly.

"You aren't...mad at me?" I asked.

"No, of course not. I'm just not used to people telling me what I need to hear, rather than what they think I want to hear. When I make jokes about myself, people laugh. When I do it in front of you, you call me out. You force me to reevaluate how I've handled myself. Have I lost who I was before the accident, am I just the boy in the wheelchair?"

"You are more than that, Edward. I know I didn't know you before, but I'd like to get to know all of you now," I said to him quietly, feeling he way his thumb continued to glide across my hand. I suppressed a shiver at the feeling, grateful for the sleeves of my shirt to cover my goosebumps.

"And you're right," he continued. "It's easy to forget that we've only been friends for a week. Sometimes I feel like I've known you my entire life. Sometimes I wish I had," he said, a small smile on his lips.

"Me, too," I whispered.

"So let's make up for lost time, then, shall we?"

He asked.

He didn't let go of my hand for the rest of class as we continued to talk, to learn more about each other. It was, again, mostly superficial stuff, but it was a start.

* * *

On Wednesday afternoon after school, I was standing outside with Angela, Jessica, and Eric. Ben was at band practice, so we hadn't seen as much of him. Mike and Tyler were at football practice, and thankfully they'd kept their mouths shut about Edward since lunch on Monday.

"Hey, Bella!" I heard from behind me and turned to see Alice walking up, wearing black jean leggings and her volleyball jersey.

"Hey, Alice," I told her.

"Jasper and the others are coming to my volleyball game tonight. Would you come?" She asked. "You guys, too?" She nodded towards the others.

"Oh, sure. That sounds fun," I told her. Truthfully, I was just glad to have another reason to see Edward.

"Great! It's at 6:30 here in the gym. See you then!" She said excitedly before turning to walk over to Jasper, who was waiting at his car.

"Have you guys ever been to one of the volleyball games?" I asked.

"Nope, but we've never really had a reason. I guess it could be fun," Jessica shrugged.

"A bunch of girls in shorts jumping around. Yippee," Eric said dryly.

"If you come with us tonight, we'll go with you to a baseball game in the spring," Angela laughed.

"Fine, fine," Eric sighed. "But you're driving. I drove to the football game, and I don't have enough gas money to be the carpool," he said sternly to Angela.

"Whatever," she laughed. "Bella, you want me to pick you up for the game?" She asked.

"Oh, no, I'll just meet you guys here," I said. My dad had promised we'd go get some dinner, so I'd probably just be leaving from there.

"Okie doke," Angela said. We all parted ways, promising to find each other later that evening.

I didn't want to bring it up, but I hoped they'd sit close to wherever Edward would be.

* * *

Later that evening, I was finishing up my chicken pasta at the lodge where dad had decided to take us for dinner. The lodge was nice, if not a little dated inside. It reminded me of the old golf course country club that Phil liked to go to in Jacksonville. Dark green carpets, deep burgundy leather chairs, the smell of old cigars lingering even though smoking was no longer permitted.

"School still going good for you?" Charlie asked, cutting a bite if his prime rib and popping it into his mouth.

"Yep," I said. "I'm actually heading to a volleyball game tonight," I said.

"Since when are you into volleyball?" He asked, pulling a roll from the basket on the middle of the table.

"I'm not really. But my friends are going, and I like spending time with them," I said.

"Well, that's good then. You get all your homework done?" He asked.

"Yes, sir," I told him dutifully.

"Good. I love you, kid, you know that?" He asked.

"I love you, too, Dad," I told him. He slipped me a $20 and told me it was for 'concessions.' I didn't know how many candy bars and sodas he thought I'd eat that night, but I told him thank you and pocketed it for the tank of gas I knew I'd need later.

* * *

Later that evening, I pulled into the parking lot and noted how wrong it felt to be at the school after hours. I saw Angela's black Saturn, so I headed in to find them.

I paid for a ticket at the door and walked into an already noisy gym. There was a surprising number of people in the crowd, but more of the noise was coming from the court. It didn't look like the match had started yet. Each team was just in a circle hitting the ball to each other and yelling that they had it.

There were two lines of chairs on the other side of the court with a table in the middle. I looked to my right and saw Edward and his friends down at the bottom of the first row, sitting at the corner. Emmett and Rosalie were sitting on the second bleacher up, Jasper on the first row beside who I assumed were Alice and Edward's parents. Edward was sitting beside Jasper in his chair.

"Bella," I heard Edward say at the same time as I heard "Bella!" called from Angela. I looked up to see her, Jessica, Lauren, and Eric at the top row against the walls.

"Hey," I said with a smile to Edward. "I, uh..." I mumbled, pointing up to my friends.

"Oh, yeah, sure. Go ahead," he said.

I walked up the bleachers, a bit breathless when I made it to the top.

"Geez, y'all, warn me before I have to do cardio next time," I said dramatically, sitting on the row in front of them.

"Aww, does Paula Dean not like to sweat?" Eric asked, fanning himself dramatically.

"First of all, screw you. Second of all, learn some more southern people," I said. The girls all cackled behind me.

"Touchy, much?" Eric asked.

"Man, it must be hard to sit so far away from Emmett. Maybe I should just call him. Hey, Em-!" I started, before Eric popped my shoulder.

"Stahhhp," he whined.

"Anyway, sorry you didn't get to sit with Edward, Bella," Angela poked.

"It's fine," I laughed. "I can see him in class. Not really wanting to work on the project here anyway," I said, hoping my awkward laugh was convincing enough.

"Oh, please, girl. I see the way you look at him. You have it bad. And I think he does, too," Jessica said. I turned to look at her and noticed Lauren's eyes, boring hard into me. She relaxed when she realized I saw her.

"It's not like that, Jess. We're friends. We are working on a project together. That's all," I said.

"Keep telling yourself that! But I see more in your future," she said.

"Alright, Miss Cleo, shut up and watch the game," Angela said, I think sensing my discomfort at Jessica's teasing. Lauren remained quiet. Eric was taking selfies on his phone.

The first part of the game was interesting. I didn't know much about volleyball, but I cheered with the crowd when something good happened. Alice was a little powerhouse. She'd toss the ball up and then jump to serve it, slamming the ball over the net and onto the floor, where the majority of the time, the other team couldn't get to it in time.

When she was in the front, she soared in to the air and spiked the ball over the net once her teammate had set it up for her.

Athleticism must have run in the family, because she was five feet of pure muscle and skill.

During the change over, I dug in my purse and pulled out my phone.

 _You and your friends should come down here and sit with us. -E_

I looked down and noticed Edward and Jasper talking. He caught my eye and saw me holding my phone. He waved, beaconing me to join him.

"Hey, uh, guys? Edward just text and said we should ALL come down there and sit with them," I said, emphasizing that he wasn't just asking for me. "Want to?" I asked.

"Sure. I'm bored, anyway. May as well be bored down there," Jessica said, standing. Angela stood with her, and Lauren was already walking down the steps, a smile on her face.

"Eric?" I asked. He looked nervous.

"Oh, relax. He has a girlfriend," I said.

"I know!" He whispered yelled. "Uh, whatever," he said, standing and walking to the steps.

We got down there and Angela and Jessica took a seat beside Rosalie, with Eric and Lauren sitting behind them.

"Hey, guys," Rosalie said kindly.

"Sup?" Emmett said, tipping a Cheetos bag into his mouth to finish it off.

Lauren sat carefully beside Jessica. I was about to sit beside her when Edward called my name and nodded toward the open spot beside him where Jasper had moved down the bench.

"Mmm hmm," Jessica said, she and Angela chuckling to each other.

"Shhh-ut up," I said to them so that only they could hear. Lauren looked a mixture of angry and sad as I stepped down and walked over to Edward.

"Hey," he said with a smile. I sat between him and Jasper, trying to ignore the flutters in my stomach at being this close to Edward again.

"Hey. Having fun?" I asked.

"Sure," he shrugged.

"Alice is really good," I said.

"Yeah she is," Jasper said to my right. He was staring at his girl on the court.

I looked back at Edward, and he just rolled his eyes and laughed.

"It's nice of you guys to come to her games," I said.

"We will go to Rosalie's band competition in a few weeks, too. The school is hosting one coming up," Edward said.

"Oh, cool. I like that you guys do that. Going to cheer each other on like that," I said. I could tell Edward liked to do what he could for his friends, even if he didn't have anything for them to come to.

"Just being there to support the people I care about," he smiled.

Eventually, Edward declared that he was thirsty and was going to get a bottle of water. He asked me, and then the rest of the group if we wanted anything.

We all declined, except Emmett, who wanted a Snickers bar.

While Edward was gone, I nervously sat beside Jasper. He and Alice's parents were all very intently watching the game, cheering for Alice.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see Rosalie leaning down.

"Hey, girl. We are planning to go to the mall in PA tomorrow after school. It's one of the rare days that none of us have practice, and there's a Dave and Busters there. Do you want to come?" She asked.

"Oh, maybe," I responded. "I'll have to check with my dad first. I'll let you know?" I asked. She nodded and we exchanged numbers. I wasn't sure who all she meant, but I assumed her immediate group. I heard her lean over and asked the others, which I thought was nice if her.

Edward returned a few minutes later with a bottle of water and Emmett's candy bar.

"You owe me," he said to Emmett with a laugh as he tossed the chocolate up him. Emmett caught it deftly.

"Thanks, man."

"So, did I miss anything?" Edward asked.

"Nope. Oh, but Rosalie invited me to the mall with you guys tomorrow after school," I said, trying to gage if he liked this idea.

"Oh," he said with a frown.

"I don't...I mean, I probably can't go anyway..." I said, crestfallen.

"Of course you should go. It'll be fun," he said.

"So you're coming?" I asked.

"Nah, not this week. I, uh, have an appointment tomorrow," he said.

"Oh," I said dumbly. I didn't want to say that changed things, but my excitement over going diminished greatly knowing Edward wouldn't be there.

After the game, we all waited around in the lobby for Alice. Angela, Jessica, Eric, and Lauren, though she seemed to do it reluctantly, all left. I waited with the others to see Alice.

Edward introduced me to his parents, Carlisle and Esme. Together, they owned and operated Cullen Family Medicine. Mr. Cullen was the primary care physician there, and Mrs. Cullen was the pharmacist at the in-house pharmacy.

"It's nice to meet you both," I said, shaking their hands.

"You, as well," Mrs. Cullen said. "Edward tells us you two are working on a project together."

"Yes, ma'am," I told her.

"Oh, such manners. Teach my kids, will you?" Mr. Cullen joked.

"Oh, please," Edward laughed, and I looked down at him with a smile.

When Alice came out, they all congratulated her on the team win and talked about the game. Just before everyone was leaving, I told them I was going to go to the restroom and bid them goodbye.

"Wait, I got to pee, too!" Alice called.

"Alice!" Mrs. Cullen hissed.

"Oh, excuse me. I have to _tinkle_ ," Alice joked. Mrs. Cullen just shook her head and the others laughed.

We walked into the restroom together and went to separate stalls.

"So," her voice echoed over the stall door. "Did Rose ask you about tomorrow?" She asked.

I felt awkward talking to her while we both did our business, but clearly she was unabashed.

"Oh, yeah, she did," I said.

"Great! So you'll come?" She asked.

"I may. I'm not sure yet," I told her as I finished up and stepped out to the sink to wash my hands.

"You totally should. It will be fun. And don't let Edward fool you. He's still the best at skee ball," she said, stepping out of her own stall and turning on the faucet.

"Oh, he, uh, he said he can't come," I told her, pumping soap into my hands.

"He did? I wonder why," she said as she rinsed her own hands and reached for some soap.

"Something about an appointment?"

"Oh, right. His physical therapy appointment," she said.

"Does he have those every Thursday?" I asked.

"No, usually it's on Saturday mornings. I could have sworn he went this past Saturday. Maybe he's putting in extra time," she shrugged, turning off the sink and reaching for some paper towels.

"Where does he go for it?" I asked, realizing it was kind of nosy of me to ask.

"It's over at Forks Memorial Hospital. My dad works with him at home between sessions, but for these I think they actually strap him into a harness and help him move his legs on a treadmill type thing," she explained.

"Wow, that sounds intense," I said with admiration for Edward and his continued effort to heal.

"It is. He's usually exhausted when he gets home," she said.

"Well, I hope it's helping him, then. Especially if he's putting in extra time," I said.

"Yeah, for sure. My brother is one of the most determined people I know," she said proudly.

* * *

The following afternoon, I left school with a smile and a bundle of nerves in my heart. Last night, after I'd left the match and gone by the Thriftway for what I needed, this had seemed like such a good idea.

I even made double so that my dad wouldn't be bummed when I told him he couldn't have any.

As I'd cut them this morning once they were cool and moved them to the Tupperware container, I was still unsure this was a good idea.

But as the day progressed, I grew more and more apprehensive.

Edward and I had talked in class, but because we'd had a full lesson, we hadn't been able to say much. He'd asked if I was coming to the football game the following night. I said I was, and we'd discussed getting together again over the weekend to work on our project. But otherwise, that had been all and I didn't see him after school. I knew he had early dismissal though, so when he didn't want to stick around his study hall, he was free to leave. I hadn't seen his silver Toyota Corolla in the handicapped spot where it usually was, so I guessed he'd left for his appointment early.

I got home and walked up the steps in a hurry, knowing I'd be pushing it. It was 3:45 already, and I was pretty sure he said his appointment was over at 4. The only reason he didn't drive to meet his friends after was because he said he needed to get some homework done. But I assumed it had more to do with how tired and sore he was after PT.

I found the container where I'd left it that morning on the counter and grabbed it, dropping my book bag by the door.

My dad was working again today, so I locked up and went back to my car.

The hospital was a little ways past the school, so I knew it would take me all of the 10 minutes I had left to get there.

Like everything in the town, it was small, so when I got there I found Edward's car easily. He wasn't in it, meaning I'd made it in time. I pulled into the empty non-handicapped space beside him and put my car in park, leaving my car running.

I nervously played with my phone, scrolling Facebook and Instagram while I waited, each passing minute making me question if I was doing the right thing.

Finally, at 7 minutes past 4, the automatic door to the hospital opened and I saw Edward coming out, his whole frame looking tired and worn as he slowly pushed himself forward in his chair.

I opened my car door and stepped out, grabbing the container I brought and walking around the back of his car to meet him.

"Bella?" He said, confusion in his voice.

"Edward, hey," I said nervously.

"What...what are you doing here?" He asked.

"I, uh...I wanted to bring you these. You said they were your favorite," I explained, holding out the container.

He took it from me and opened the lid, peering inside.

"You made me brownies?" He asked, a huge smile spreading across his face.

"I said I would," I shrugged. "And anyway, they might be gross."

"I can't imagine they will be. They smell like heaven," he said, closing the lid and setting them in his lap. "You didn't go with the others?"

I could see beads of sweat on his forehead, his usually carefully gelled hair kind of all over the place, his clothes disheveled like he'd just run a marathon.

"No, I...I wanted to bring you these," I said shyly.

"You stayed back just to meet me after PT and bring me brownies?" He said, moving closer so that he was right beside me. His hand carefully reached for the fingers of mine, which was down by my side.

"Yeah, I guess I did," I said, looking down into his soft greenish blue eyes, feeling as light as they looked on that moment, knowing my decision had been the right one.

"Wow. Bella Swan, you are..." he breathed, his fingers still lightly holding mine.

His hand let go of mine and I felt it reach behind me to touch my leg, like he'd done the Friday night before. He pulled me gently so that I stood impossibly closer to him, his hand cupping the back of my leg, his fingers rubbing carefully.

Finally, looking into his eyes and conveying all the truth I could behind my statement, I took a breath and whispered to him:

"Just being there to support the person I care about."

* * *

 **I love to hear what you all think and to know you are reading. I hope you all enjoyed this update.**


	5. Chapter 5

**I am so blown away by the love this story is receiving. Thank you all so much for the reviews, recommendations, and favorites.**

 **To chicsarah, thank you for always making this better.**

 **I cannot give enough thanks to Random Rita at Robattack, A Different Forrest, and The Lemonade Stand for recommending this fic this week! I'm honored to be mentioned.**

 **Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable characters herein. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

The school days started to become routine. Most days after school were spent either at a sporting event, working with Edward on our projects, or spending time with my dad when he was off of work.

I was teaching myself to cook more stuff, and he was happy to be the guinea pig. His favorite so far had been the pot roast I'd left in a slow cooker all day with carrots and potatoes.

He'd also asked me, respectfully, to never make him a turkey spinach meatloaf again.

But we enjoyed our time together. I missed my mom like crazy, though. We talked daily, if not by phone than by text message. She reminded me often that I could come back home, that she and Phil wouldn't stop being newlyweds on my account (gross).

I'm not sure she really believed me when I promised her that, despite how she felt about this town, Forks was becoming my home. I told her I had already made some wonderful friends. When she asked about boys, I told her that Forks had some.

I wasn't ready to share, or even really admit to myself, my feelings about one boy in particular. I had a feeling maybe the affections were mutual, but nothing had been said or declared.

We'd still exchange innocent touches when we could, mostly each other's hands or his hand touching my arm or my leg. Other than our project work sessions, which were usually taking place in his living room, we were never alone.

We went to another home football game and volleyball game, and we spent the better part of a Saturday with Emmett, Jasper, and Alice at Rosalie's band competition. At those places, we were just friends.

We were eating lunch together now, too. Or, I should say, Angela, Jessica, Lauren, Ben, Eric, and I were ALL eating lunch together with Edward, Emmett, Rosalie, Alice, and Jasper. Mike and Tyler had remained at their own table the first week we had moved, but even they helped occupy the long table we all sat together at now. Edward sat at the end, where a regular chair wouldn't have to be moved. I sat to the left of him, Angela beside me and Jessica beside her. Emmett and Jasper sat across from us, with Alice and Rose beside them. Lauren sat beside Jessica, and luckily I couldn't see her. But often I could feel her glare.

I knew I'd need to have a talk with her soon, but I just didn't know how to approach it.

Edward and I laughed and joked with the others, but some days we'd get caught up in our own quiet conversations. That's when he'd most often graze my hand with his, or my knee cap would bump his. That's when we'd share the most smiles and laughs.

I was noticing a change in him, each day that passed. He seemed to be putting himself down less and less, and just being a part of the conversation without it turning into a dig at his expense. Every now and then he'd slip and joke about his wheelchair or his handicap or his inability to do something, but mostly he just acted like the normal teenage boy he was. Because we was normal. To me, to all of his friends at this table, he was just a nice, kind, funny, friendly, incredibly good looking teenage boy.

It was Thursday now, two weeks into September, when Edward and I were at his house working again on our project.

We'd set up at the dining room table this time, so we weren't as close as we usually were. It was a good thing, because being so close to him often left me distracted. But I also craved his casual touches, and there was no way for him to brush against my hand or my leg without being incredibly obvious about it.

"Okay, tell me more about your childhood," I said to him as I was holding a pen in my hand, ready to take notes.

He laughed at that.

"Want to be more vague?" He asked.

I shuffled through my papers and scanned the prompts Ms. Moore had given us.

"Tell me one of your favorite memories from childhood," I said more specifically.

"Oh, well, um," he sat thinking, his hands resting on the table in front of him.

He'd gone to physical therapy again that day, but had asked if we could still meet up to work on our project. I told him we could wait for another day when he'd be less tired, but he insisted he was fine and that today had been an easier session.

Still, when I'd arrived, he was freshly showered and wearing different clothes than he'd had on at school-faded jeans and a black t-shirt just tight enough to show his strong arms. He wasn't wearing shoes or his gloves, which he usually forwent at his house.

"When I was ten and Alice was eight, we went to Disney Land," he started.

"Wow, original," I said, rolling my eyes with a laugh.

"I'm not finished," he said sternly with a smirk.

"Sorry. Continue," I said.

"Anyway, we went to Disney Land. It was during the off season, sometime in February I think. It was cheaper, I guess. But that had been our Christmas gift, a promised trip there later in the year. So when we got there, we were excited to start riding the rides and trying the food. But all of that didn't matter, because what we didn't know is that the day we were there was also Disney Doggy Day," he said, a huge smile on his face.

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked. "Disney has a doggy day?" I felt like I should know that existed. I felt like I should have read a BuzzFeed article about it at some point.

"Yep, once a year, during the slow season, they let a bunch of local shelters bring their dogs to the park. Busloads of dogs were in there, volunteers walking them around. There were food and water bowls everywhere, venders were handing out Mickey shaped treats and dog friendly ice cream, and characters at the park were taking pictures with the dogs.

Alice and I hardly rode a single ride that day, because we spent all of our time on the ground, playing with dogs. It was incredible. I don't know if they still do Disney Doggy Day, but if so, I will be going back. Even if I can't ride anything because of my-" he finished, stopping short when he saw my look.

"Anyway, that was hands down one of the best days of my life. Mom and dad even let us adopt a dog after that," he said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yep, his name was Archie. He was a big golden retriever. He was ten when we adopted him," he said.

"Why not a younger dog?" I asked.

"My parents found this place in Oregon, an old dog sanctuary type of place that took in older dogs and adopted them out when they could. Older dogs are harder to find homes for, so when my parents heard about them, they knew this would be perfect. A dog that was already trained and just wanted to spend time cuddling, playing, and sleeping was a perfect fit for busy parents with kids in school all day," Edward said.

"Archie lived for four more years, and passed the summer before freshman year. It sucked, but he had a solid four years with us. We loved him so much. Before he got too old to do it, he'd climb the stairs to my bedroom and sleep on my bed at my feet every night," Edward said sadly.

"Wow. I wish he was still around for me to meet him," I said.

"Me too. Here," Edward said, turning and pushing himself over to a bookshelf in the room. He grabbed an album and came back, flipping through pages until he found the pictures he was looking for. He turned the album so it faced me.

"This was him," he said, pointing to a picture of a dog with big floppy paws and a beautiful golden coat of fur. He had a bandana around his neck and a happy grin on his face, a ten year old Edward standing beside him and bent over, hugging his best furry friend.

I sucked in my breath, not at seeing the picture of Archie, but at seeing Edward, young and healthy and standing on his legs. Legs that had since failed him.

"Edward," I breathed, my hand almost acting on its own as it reached over and my fingers gently touched the tip of his.

"He was a good dog," he said, thinking my evident emotion was over Archie.

"Yeah," I whispered, suddenly overcome with a deep desire to have known Edward then. Before he was saddled to his chair, before he was living his life every day with the worry of stares and judgment. The Edward unencumbered by a handicap he never asked for.

"So," Edward said, closing the photo album and setting it aside. Our fingers lost contact when he moved, but he hadn't pulled away. His hand was still close to mine.

"So," I mimicked.

"What about you? What's your favorite childhood memory?" He asked.

"Well, every summer I'd go to day camp, and-"

"Day camp? Really?" Edward mocked.

"I'm not finished," I said with the same challenging smirk he'd earlier given me.

"Sorry. Go on," he said, gesturing with his hand to continue.

"So, we always got to do two activities a day before lunch and swim time. I hated the swimming part. It was this murky pond at the rec center. There was all this nasty, slimy moss in it, and several times we'd have to cut swim time short due to a snake sighting," I said, shivering at the memory.

"So you don't like to swim at all?" Edward asked.

"Oh, I love to. Just in pools. Nothing that I can't see my feet in," I said. "Though, does anyone even have a pool here? Seems like the rain never stops and it's never actually warm enough for it," I said. I loved those blistering hot days in Jacksonville when my mom would take us to the pool in our neighborhood, slather me in sunscreen, and let me swim for hours.

"Anyway, the activities were things I didn't usually care about. Games that involved running, watching movies, going on 'nature hikes' around the half mile rec center trail with all the old ladies out there getting their exercise in. It was boring and hot and sticky and zero fun. But once we week, we also got craft time," I smiled broadly.

Edward laughed, either at the reverie in my eyes or the smile on my face, I wasn't sure.

"Bella Swan, I had no idea you were the arts and crafts type. A creative, in my presence!" He mocked.

"Oh, shut it. I'm terrible, and I do mean terrible, at most things creative. I can't draw or paint or any of that. But I still loved it. Most weeks they were basic crafts that involved beads and stickers and markers. But once a summer, one blissful day during those four weeks of hell, we got pottery day," I said.

"What, they let a bunch of kids make pottery?" Edward asked in alarm.

"Psh, I wish. No, they let us paint pottery. Little things like animals or flowers or something that was made out of clay. Then someone would glaze them and we'd get to take them home at the end of the week. It was the best. I loved painting stuff, even if we only got to do it once a summer. It felt like something real that I could keep and cherish," I said, feeling more and more like a dork the more Edward looked at me.

"Huh," Edward said, and I wasn't sure if he heard me, if he was trying not to laugh, or if he was thinking about what a colossal nerd I was.

"Well, it's not doggy day at Disney Land, but I loved it," I said.

"Sorry, I was just imagining a cute little version of you getting all excited over painting a bunny rabbit figurine," he laughed.

"It was a cat, and I still have it, thank you very much," I laughed.

We spent another hour or so discussing other fun things from our childhood, and I kept imagining what life could have been like if I'd known Edward then. I used to come to Forks over the summer, on the weeks I didn't have day camp, and I wondered if maybe I had ever seen Edward or his family or any of his friends in passing. It made me sad to know what I missed in meeting these people sooner. How different life may have been for me if I'd grown up knowing Edward. I wondered if it'd change how I felt about him now.

But I knew life wouldn't have been different for him. He still would have played football, still would have dated a gorgeous older cheerleader, still would have been hit wrong at a game and lost his ability to walk. His fate, it seemed, had been set.

I wondered if, had I known him before, I'd still be trying so hard to make him see how amazing he is now.

* * *

The next morning, I woke up to a tap on my bedroom door.

"Knock, knock, Birthday Bells," my dad sang, stepping in with a giant box in his hands and a few smaller ones on top.

"Hey, daddy," I smiled, sitting up so he could sit at the edge of the bed. He set the stack of presents at my feet, and I smiled broadly at them. I loved birthdays. Not just mine, but everyone's. And I loved presents. And my dad always got me the best ones.

"These top two are from your mom and Phil. Sent them to me last week," he smiled. Mom had told me to expect something in the mail.

I opened the card first, my eyes tearing up immediately as I read my mom's messy handwriting.

 _Happy 18th birthday, baby girl. You are the light of our lives, our reason to smile everyday. Spending the last 18 years as your mother has been the most rewarding part of my entire existence, and I can never fully express how truly proud of you I am. I love you._

 _Love,_

 _Mom_

Underneath that was scribbled,

 _Happy birthday, kiddo. Love you and miss you!_

 _-Phil_

I wiped my tears, missing my mom and Phil with my entire heart.

"Hey now, big girls don't cry," Charlie said sternly.

"It's my birthday, and I'll cry if I want to," I laughed, wiping my eyes and snotty nose on my t-shirt.

I grabbed the two boxes that were neatly wrapped, one a small square and one a long rectangle. I opened them carefully and gasped. The smaller box held a sapphire ring, set in white gold with two small diamonds on each side. It was incredible.

"Wow," I whispered, slipping it on my ring finger and holding up my hand.

"That's right pretty," Charlie smiled.

"It is," I beamed back at him.

The long box held a necklace with a sapphire pendant to match, and I excitedly got it out and slipped it on my neck.

"These are gorgeous. Did you know mom was getting me these?" I asked.

"Yep. She told me about them a month ago. Said she wanted you to have something special for your 18th birthday," he smiled. "And I did, too. Though I suppose mine is more conventional," he shrugged, sliding the big box to me. I could tell he wrapped it himself, and I smiled at the effort.

His card was more simple, letting me know he loved me and was proud of me, and that no matter how old I got, I'd always be his baby girl.

I unwrapped the box and gasped.

"Dad, are you serious? This is too much!" I exclaimed, though you couldn't pry the box from my hands if you tired.

"Of course it's not. You need it for school. And you'll need it for, you know, when you go off to...college," he said, and though I don't think he wanted me to see it, he gave himself away with a loud sniff. He was tearing up.

"Thank you, daddy," I said, setting the box that held my new MacBook to the side and leaning forward to hug the first man I've ever loved. "You're the best," I whispered to him, kissing his scruffy cheek.

"Back at you, sweetie," he told me.

I called my mom on the drive to school, talking to her and Phil over speakerphone. I thanked them for my gifts, both of which I was wearing now, paired with a navy blue top and leggings.

When I got to school, the gang wasn't outside. I didn't think it was that late, and usually everyone waited until the last minute to go in. I was a little bummed, only because I wanted to see them. I knew at least some of them knew what day it was, because I'd been getting Facebook notifications all morning of people wishing me a happy birthday.

I decided to just go in to my locker and wait by my first class, not really wanting to stand around outside alone.

When I turned the corner to get to my locker, though, I found out why they weren't outside.

My locker was covered in streamers and balloons, a card taped to it. In it, Angela, Jessica, Lauren, and Eric had all signed it.

"Happy birthday!" I heard from behind me, and saw those very four walking towards me.

"You guys, when did you do this?" I asked.

"After school yesterday. Sorry we're late. We all rode together to go get you birthday breakfast," Angela said, handing me a McDonald's bag and a clear cup of orange juice.

"I love y'all. Thank you so much!" I said, awkwardly hugging each with the food and drink in my hand.

"You are most welcome, darlin' girl," Eric said with his usual "southern Bella" voice.

"You know what? I'm not even mad," I laughed at him. "You guys are seriously the best," I told them.

By lunch, I'd been getting birthday wishes from people who I didn't even know. They'd all seen my locker before I had time to stuff the balloon inside that morning.

I walked up to our table and saw a cake carrier in front of my usual seat.

"Happy birthday, Bella!" Alice called from the few seats down where she was. "Rose and I made you a treat," she explained.

I opened the carrier, delighted to see cupcakes slathered in Rainbow Chip icing. Even professional bakers appreciated the delicacy of Rainbow Chip.

"These look amazing, guys! Thank you," I smiled at them. I uncovered the container and took out two-one for myself and one for the last person who sat at our table, who had yet to arrive.

"Here, guys. Have some," I said, sliding the box down to Angela so that they could all get a cupcake.

I sat down and took out my sandwich and apple with my bottle of water, wondering why Edward still hadn't shown up.

I was halfway through my sandwich when I glanced over to my right to see him making his way towards the table, a bundle of flowers in his lap.

"Hey, guys," he called to his friends when he got to the table. "Hey, birthday girl," he said softly to me, lifting the flowers and handing them to me.

I wasn't usually one to blush, but I could feel my face get warm as I looked from the flowers, and then to Edward. I was sure it was as red as Angela's shirt when I turned to see all of my friends looking our way, most of them smiling. Mike and Tyler weren't paying any attention, and for all of her efforts to look neutral, Lauren looked like she wanted the floor to open up and swallow me.

"Edward, these are gorgeous," I smiled. They were a mix of pink roses, yellow daisies, babies breath, and a purple flower I didn't know.

"What are these?" I asked quietly once our friends had tuned us out and it was just us quietly talking.

"The florist called them Aster. They are the flower for the month of September. When he told me what they mean, I, uh, thought they'd be appropriate," he said.

"I love them. Thank you," I told him sincerely.

I set them in my lap and handed Edward his cupcake.

"These are good," I said, licking a dab of icing off of my thumb.

"I know. I helped make them," he smirked.

"No, he didn't," Alice called from a few spots down.

"He helped taste test them, though," Rosalie said, rolling her eyes.

We all laughed and enjoyed our cupcakes, everyone happy from the infectious energy of it being a Friday.

When no one was looking, I grabbed my phone from my bag and typed in 'September flower' to Google. A picture of exactly what was in my bouquet popped up, with an article calling it Aster. It's common meanings were: patience, love, and afterthought, or wishing things happened differently.

I wasn't sure if those were the same meanings the florist had told Edward, but if they were, then he was speaking volumes with this gesture. And this was suddenly the most important gift I'd been given.

* * *

Later that night, the entire gang was in the stands watching the football game. It had turned chilly that evening, but luckily the rain held off. It was halftime, and though it'd been a close game all night, I'd been more interested in watching Edward. He was so into the game, and I could tell it was because he wanted so badly to be IN the game. He yelled, cheered, and cursed more than any coach I'd ever seen. After each curse, though, he'd look at me and apologize. I'd just laugh and smile at him, knowing his passion for the game was ruling his actions and words. I wasn't offended by it.

"I need a soda," Eric declared when the band took the field.

"I need hot chocolate," Jessica said, standing with Eric.

"I'm good," Angela said, her eyes never leaving the percussion section of the band as they performed.

"I want some fries," Alice said.

"Oh, that does sound good," I said, standing to go with the gang.

"I'll go get them. I could use a Coke, myself," Edward said.

"Thanks, E!" Alice called, and once the others left, it was just her and me on the first row of the bleachers.

"Have you had a good birthday so far?" Alice asked.

"Yep, it's been pretty awesome. Those cupcakes were delicious. And the flowers were gorgeous," I smiled.

"Yeah, Edward has good taste," Alice said with a grin.

I heard a huff behind me and glanced back to see Lauren, pretending to ignore us but clearly listening to everything we said. I was trying to be the bigger person, but if she wasn't going to actually tell Edward how she felt, then she needed to cut this out. Acting passive-aggressive towards me every time I mentioned his name or talked to him wasn't doing any good. He didn't notice, but I did. And it was getting old.

I decided I'd have a chat with her when I got a chance, but not wanting to spoil the evening, I turned to Alice and changed to the subject.

"So quarterback? That's a pretty big position. How did Jasper get to be the star of the team?" I asked. Alice looked simultaneously happy and deflated.

"Well, it was kind of out of necessity," she said softly.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Bella, do you know what position Edward played when he got hit?" She asked me, her light eyes serious as she looked at me.

"No, I..." I started. She must have seen the realization on my face.

"Jasper was second-string. He'd been on the bench all his freshman year. But last year, when Edward got-when he couldn't play anymore, Jasper got put in and has been playing it ever since," she explained.

"Wow, I didn't realize. Is that hard for Edward? Seeing his friend take his place?" I asked.

"Truthfully, they weren't even really friends when it happened. Jasper used to come to the hospital and rehab facility where Edward was. Sometimes with Emmett, sometimes alone. I think maybe he felt guilty for taking Edward's place. He'd come often though, to talk to Edward. He and Emmett were the only two from the team who kept coming week after week. It's how Jasper and Edward became friends. It's also how Jasper and I got to know each other," she smiled before continuing.

"Jasper was worried that Edward would hate him, but he spent a lot of time giving Jasper pointers. Once he was home, he'd go outside and toss the football with Jasper."

"Edward really is so selfless," I said in wonder.

"Yeah, he is. Jasper was there for him through it all. Even his thing with Tan-" she stopped, looking at me like she'd said to much.

"Tanya?" I finished.

"What do you know?" Alice asked carefully.

"I guess just what others know. That she and Edward were a thing. That she cheated on him with Edward's best friend," I said quietly.

"That's basically it. His best friend who, I should add, never once came to visit him after the accident," she said. "But it's not my story to tell," she said.

"Does Tanya, by any chance, work at Target in Port Angeles?" I asked.

"Yeah," Alice answered. "I heard she was-"

"Pregnant," I finished. "I saw her there. With a baby bump. Does Edward know?" I asked.

"Of course. In this small town, nothing stays a secret for long," she said.

"Wow, poor Edward," I said, and then realized that I sounded like everyone else in this town. And if he'd heard me, he'd hate the pity in my voice.

"He's okay. He says he's over her. And from what I can tell, you're helping with that," she said with a wink.

"Alice!" I whispered, glancing again back at Lauren, who was full on glaring at us both.

"Who wants fries?" We heard and saw Edward pushing himself back up the bench, a basket of fries and a bottle of Coke in his lap. The others were behind him, just in time as the game started back.

The rest of the game was spent cheering as Forks High must have found their determination in the locker room. They didn't let the other team put another point on the board, and finished a solid 17 points ahead.

We finished the night, and what had been a pretty awesome birthday, piled into booths at Waffle House. This was becoming our tradition. I was at the end, beside Eric and Lauren. Apparently her parents relented and let her come this week. Yay.

Angela and Jessica were across from us, and behind us were Jasper and Alice. Emmett and Rosalie were across from them, and Edward was at the end. Other groups from school were crowded all around the rest of the tiny restaurant, laughing and drinking soda and coffee.

A waitress came to drop off some plates at the table behind us. A few minutes later, I heard Edward say, "Bella, come over here!"

I turned around and saw a plate of hash browns, a lit birthday candle sticking out of it.

"Come make a wish," he smiled. I looked to see everyone smiling at me. I stood and walked over to Edward, but it was awkward to try and get to the plate with everyone taking up all the space in the booth.

"Here," Edward said, and I felt him gently tug my hand, nodding to indicate that I should sit on his lap.

"Oh," I said hesitantly. His look assured me that it was okay. I gingerly sat down on his lap.

He took both hands and placed him on my hips, pulling me back so that I was sitting on his lap entirely, my back against his hard, muscular chest.

He used his left hand to brush my hair over my shoulder so that he could lean in and watch, making sure my long hair didn't fall near the flame. His breath so close to me was distracting as I listened to my friends sing Happy Birthday to me.

His hands were both firmly on my hips, and I reached down with my right hand, covering his with my own. He spread his fingers so that they locked with mine, and I had to remind myself to breathe.

I realized that the singing had stopped and I needed to make a wish a blow out my candle. I took a breath and knew that no matter how hard I wished for it, it may never happen. But still, I put all of my energy into thinking about my wish, how badly I wanted it to come true, not for me, but for him.

I blew out my candle and listened as my friends cheered, reveling in the way my skin was on fire where it touched Edward, in the way he didn't let go, in how incredible it felt to be this close to him.

The door to the restaurant closing and the retreating form of a short, blonde bob haired girl caught my eye to the left. For as much as I knew I should feel bad, I couldn't. Not when sitting on this incredible boy's lap felt so perfect.

I turned back to glance at him as he leaned forward.

"Happy birthday, beautiful girl," he whispered into my ear, and in that moment, it was certainly the happiest one I had ever had.

* * *

 **I don't know if doggy day at Disney ever has been or ever will be a thing, but a girl can dream.**

 **Let me know what you think!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi all! I am so so sorry about the fake out on the chapter update. I got a review from a kind reader that chapter 3 wasn't loading. I wasn't sure if it was an error on FF or on the chapter, itself, so I re-uploaded the last three. BUT, this isn't a fake out. This is Chapter 6! Thank you to that guest reviewer, whoever you are, for your kinds words on each chapter and for waiting for the chapter to be fixed to read on!**

 **Thank you for my beta for making this better. She told me that this is the best chapter yet, and she thinks you all will love it. I hope she's right.**

 **Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable characters herein. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

"Hey, Ang," I said, flopping my book bag down beside me as I sat at the lunch table. I couldn't stop the deep, exhausted sigh.

"Hey, Bella. You okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, just tired," I told her. As the school year was picking up, so was the workload. I was taking advanced classes, and the studying they required was kicking my butt. I'd just finished a monster test; and the anxiety, nerves, and lack of sleep were making up my sour mood.

"Just glad that's over," I said, unzipping my lunchbox and pulling out my sandwich.

"Tell me about it. Calculus blows," she said.

The rest of our friends were slowly making their way to the table. Apparently we were all feeling the effects of a busy school year because most everyone looked as tired as I felt. I imagined for people like Ben, Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, and Alice, who all had the added pressures of athletics and band, it was worse.

Thankfully this week had been a bye-week for football, and there was no band competition this weekend. That meant they all got a break. But it also meant we all didn't have a lot to do this weekend.

After my birthday, there had only been one more home game. The others were farther away, and none of us had gone.

We were all long overdo for a group outing.

"Alright, you guys. We going to Fall for Forks tomorrow?" Eric asked. "I'm in need of a funnel cake," he said longingly, his shimmery eyelids closing in reverie at the thought.

"Oh, yeah! I want some of that bomb-ass lemonade," Jessica perked up.

"What we talking about?" Emmett asked, pulling out a chair for Rosalie and then himself as they both sat down.

"Fall for Forks. You guys want to go?" Angela asked.

"Ohh, shopping!" Alice chirped up. For all her athleticism and seemingly laid back personality, she loved to shop. "I love all the handmade stuff there," she said, digging her own sandwich out of her lunch box.

"We talking about Fall for Forks?" Edward said, and I turned to see him rolling himself up to the end of the table. When he caught my eye, he smiled. I smiled back at him, my stomach doing the fluttery thing I could never control when he was around.

"Hey, Edward!" I heard from my left, and turned to see Lauren smiling broadly at him. She'd grown a backbone lately. She greeted him by name every day at lunch. I saw her talking to him in the halls as often as she could. I noticed her smiling and waving at him in the parking lot often, as well.

And because he was incredibly polite, he always responded. To me, I was pretty sure it was just him not wanting to be rude. To Lauren, I'm pretty sure she thought they were already dating.

"Hey, Lauren," he smiled, then turned back to me quickly.

"So, we going to Fall for Forks tomorrow?" He asked me.

"I'm down," Jasper said, the rest of the gang nodding in agreement.

"I don't really know what Fall for Forks is, but sure," I laughed.

"It's a fall tradition. They close down Main Street and a bunch of craft and food venders set up. It's the best," Rosalie explained. "It's the official start to fall," she said.

"Yeah, it's always the first week in October. It's perfect," Angela said.

"You girls are one pumpkin spice latte away from being the most basic white girls ever," Eric said.

"Hey, I like pumpkin spice," Ben said with a laugh.

"Same," Angela said, while Jessica crinkled her nose.

"Definitely not," she said.

"Anyway," Alice said dramatically. "So we all going to go?"

We all agreed and made plans.

"You can ride with me," Edward said to me. "If you'd like," he added.

"Yeah, I would," I said to him.

We hadn't seen as much of each other outside of class and lunch. We had spent one more Sunday working on our project, but without the home football games, we hadn't had much of a reason to hang out.

I was pretty sure our feelings for each other were mutual. I knew mine were growing each passing day.

After we left the Waffle House on my birthday, I'd spent most of the night analyzing every touch in my head. Sitting on his lap, feeling his hands on my hips, his fingers laced with mine, had lit my body and heart on fire.

I'd replayed the "happy birthday, beautiful girl" over and over again, remembering the tingle down my spine as he'd whispered in my ear.

However, since then, we hadn't had much of a chance to be that close again. When we had our project work session at his house last weekend, his parents, his sister, and Jasper had all been there. We'd worked at the dining room table, while the others were in and out of the rooms around us. It wasn't private or conducive to any hand touches or more lap sitting.

After we all agreed to meet there at 11, Edward said he and the others would be there to pick me up around 10:45. My heart fell a little. I thought he'd be picking me up himself, not riding with the others. Either way, I reminded myself, it would be time spent with him and my friends.

* * *

The next morning, I slept in until 9 before forcing myself out of bed to shower and get ready. The air was getting cold, so the old house had a chill in it when I got up. Though, by the time I was showered and finished blow-drying my hair, I was nearly sweating.

I dressed in jean leggings, warm socks and my calf boots, and a long sleeved shirt. I grabbed my peacoat and went downstairs around 10:30 to wait on my friends.

"Morning, sweetie," my dad said from the chair.

"Morning, daddy," I said, flopping onto the couch.

"Where you headed this morning?" He asked, setting the remote down after settling it on the ESPN Game Day broadcast.

"Fall for Forks with my friends," I said, unlocking my phone and opening Facebook to pass the time.

"Oh, that's always fun. Hey, you mind bringing me a jug of the apple cider?"

"Sure," I answered, smiling at Edward's update that he was "Heading to Fall for Forks with the best people." Emmett, Jasper, Rose, Alice, and I were tagged.

"You can grab some cash from from my wallet. It's on my dresser," he told me.

"I got it, dad," I told him. Just then, there was a knock on the front door.

I popped up, then heard my dad's chair rock as he stood up from it to follow me.

I opened the door to see Emmett standing there. His jeep and Edward's car were in the driveway, and Edward was at the foot of the porch steps.

"Hey, Bella!" Emmett said excitedly.

"Hi, Emmett. Hi, Edward," I smiled down at him.

"Mr. Swan, I'm Emmett. This is Edward. He wanted to come to the door to greet Bella, so we are improvising," Emmett explained.

"That's nice of you," I smiled at them both.

"A gentleman never honks for a lady," Emmett said sternly, making my father chuckle.

"Nice to meet you, Emmett," my dad said, shaking his hand.

Then he walked down the porch steps and reached a hand out to Edward.

"Nice to meet you, Edward," dad said a bit awkwardly.

"Thank you for letting Bella join us today, Mr. Swan. I hope it's okay if she rides in my car with me. I assure you I'm an excellent driver, and my car is specially equipped for me to use," Edward explained in a rush.

"Edward, relax, son. I believe you. Just be careful. You got precious cargo in the car with you," my dad said to him, and I could see Edward visibly let go of some of the tension he was holding.

"Yes, sir, I agree," he smiled, looking over at me. I couldn't control the grin or the slight warmth of my cheeks at that.

"Alright, y'all ready to go?" I asked.

I could see the others in the jeep, Rosalie in the front seat, Jasper and Alice in the back.

Edward led the way to the passenger side of his silver Toyota Corolla. He opened the door for me and then pushed himself backward so that I could climb in.

For as much effort it took him to get into his car, he did it quickly and with a skilled precision. He lifted himself into the driver's seat, pulling his legs in next. Then, he reached over for his chair, folding it closed so that it was much more compact. He pulled it in and carefully wedged it between us to the back seat.

Beside the wheel were a few additional levers and buttons. They seemed to be connected to the pedals below.

Edward cranked it and put it in reverse, then maneuvered the levers to back up and drive. It was interesting and inspiring to see. Edward, an 18 year old who had only just a few years ago learned to drive a car, had to relearn how to drive in a totally new and different way. But knowing him like I was beginning to, I knew he must have put in the same amount of time and dedication he did everything else he worked towards.

Edward looked incredibly attractive driving, his profile bright in the rare Forks sun shining through the window. Watching his strong arms, his long fingers working as he drove was making me smile, turning my insides into the spastic, tingly mess they usually were I watched him.

The only drawback was that his hands were always busy, and any hope I'd had if him holding mine were dashed.

* * *

By the time we got close to the festival, there was already a huge crowd. Parking took a while, but finally Edward found a spot on a side street to parallel park into.

Once we got out and Edward was in his chair, we saw the others walking our way from wherever Emmett had found parking. We were only a block away from the festival.

"Hey guys," I said to the others, who I hadn't had a chance to greet at home.

"Bella! Ready to do some shopping?" Alice asked as she walked up to me and looped her arm into mine. We walked behind Edward, Emmett, and Jasper. Rose slid up to the other side of me, though she kept her arms to herself. She was definitely the reserved one of the group.

"Sure, Alice," I chuckled. I could smell the sweet kettle corn, the freshly spun cotton candy, the deep fried everything as we got closer. It reminded me of the state fair, though I was used to it still being hot and muggy in Florida.

Today, it was cool and breezy. The leaves were blowing and swaying away from the trees. It was almost magical, and it was the first real seasonal Autumn I had ever experienced.

I glanced at Edward and saw him talking animatedly to his friends, not letting his chair or his constant motion of pushing himself slow him down. He seemed happy, normal. I loved that carefree look on him.

As we got to the first set of craft tents, I heard my phone chirp.

At the corner of Park and Main, beside courthouse. Where you at?

"Hey, y'all, help me find Angela and the others," I called to the group, looking up from my phone and around.

We crossed the street and walked down a block to the courthouse to find Angela, Jessica, Eric, Ben, and ugh, Lauren, standing there looking for us.

"Guys, over here!" Alice called and waved as we got closer.

We finally reached them, everyone offering greetings.

"Okay, shop first and then eat? Or eat first and then shop?" Alice asked.

When half of us wanted to get food and half of us wanted to shop, we decided to split up.

Jessica and Eric said they weren't hungry yet, so they went with Alice, Rosalie, and Jasper.

Emmett, Edward, Angela, Ben, and ugh, Lauren, were all ready for food, so I joined them and we split from the others to go in search.

"What's the best thing to try?" I asked Edward as I walked beside him, my cold hands in the pockets of my coat.

"Hmm, well, depends on what you like. If you're into basic fair food, they have corndogs and fries and stuff. If you want something different, I think there is a Greek tent with pretty good food. I usually get the giant turkey leg, but it's kind of messy," he chuckled.

"Fries sound good. And some funnel cake. Ooo, do they have big pretzels?" I asked excitedly.

Edward just kept laughing at my enthusiasm as we made our way closer to the food tents.

"Hi, Edward," I heard to my right, and looked over to see Lauren on the other side of him.

"Hey, Lauren. How are you?" Edward asked kindly as he looked up at her. I turned my head back and focused ahead of me, on Emmett and Ben talking and Angela walking quietly beside Ben.

"I'm great! Did I hear correctly that you're going to be helping out the team?" She asked him.

Wait, what?

"Yeah, it's a possibility. Coach is going to let me come to some practices next week and assist. See if maybe I can help out for the rest of the season," he explained. Why was this brand new information to me?

"That's awesome! I know you'll do great with it," she said sweetly. I glanced over and saw her put her hand on his shoulder. I had to suppress my eye roll. She was trying really hard.

"Isn't that awesome, Bella?" She asked me. When I looked up at her, she smiled. "Or, did you not know?"

Oh, I see how she's playing it.

"No, I didn't know. But yes, that's pretty cool," I said, looking down at Edward, who was looking between Lauren in me with confusion.

"It's really new. Just talked to coach about it yesterday," he explained. "How did you know about it?" He asked, looking back towards Lauren.

"Oh, I heard Coach Knight in the office talking to Principal Green about it yesterday. I work in the office during sixth period," she told him.

"Oh. Uh, cool," Edward said.

"I guess you would have told me about it soon, Edward," I said, and he turned his head back toward me. "Maybe later, when you drive me home. Or tomorrow, when I come over to your house," I smiled sweetly. I didn't clarify that I'd be coming over for a study session.

Lauren's face fell a bit.

Edward's looked smug.

* * *

The rest of the day was spent eating way too much food, buying things we didn't need, and having fun with each other.

By four in the afternoon, we were all cold, broke, and had stomach aches.

Although that didn't stop me from getting a giant, salty soft pretzel for the ride home.

I also had a jug of apple cider for my dad, which Edward insisted on carrying in his lap for me.

We were all walking back towards where we met the others when ugh, Lauren popped up again.

"Edward?" She asked.

"Yes, Lauren?"

"Would you mind driving me home? It's just that, Angela's car is kind of cramped with five of us in there," she explained in a rush. Which I guess was true, but come on.

"Oh, uh..." he looked at me. "Well, Bella rode with me. So if she doesn't mind..." he stammered.

Of course I mind. No, you can't ride with us, you mountain troll.

"Sure," I shrugged. Because I wasn't going to let my pettiness show.

"Great!" She said. She followed us as we walked behind Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rose.

When we got to Edward's car, Lauren went to the front passenger's seat. I stopped short, glaring at her, but then went to the back seat and climbed in. Edward was extra cautious as he pulled his chair into the car, sliding it to the back seat beside me.

"Sorry, Bella. I hope that's not too in your way," he said.

"No worries," I said quietly, buckling my seat belt and leaning back into the seat.

Edward cranked the car and maneuvered out of the parking space.

"I live over in the Trail," she told him.

"Yeah, okay. I know where that is," he said.

The car ride was silent for a few minutes before Lauren piped up again.

"This car is so cool!" Lauren said from the front seat.

"Um, thanks?" Edward said. Because what else do you say in response to that?

"Was it hard to learn to drive?" She asked.

"It was different. But I'm used to it now, so it's easy," he told her.

"Awesome. My parents told me they'd get me a car if I got a full ride to college. I can't wait to have one," she rambled.

"That's nice of them," Edward said, though he sounded distracted.

"Yep. Anyway, you can take Bella home first if you want," she said, looking up in the rear view mirror and catching my eye. Hers looked smug.

"Oh, that's okay. Yours is on the way first. And Bella and I have to, um, work on our project," he said, then he looked up at the mirror at me, pleading without words to back him up.

"Yep. Project. Lots to do on that today," I said.

Lauren's face fell a little but she didn't say anything.

"Well, that's okay. Maybe we can hang out sometime one weekend," Lauren said to Edward.

"Oh, sure. Yeah, it's fun when the group gets together," Edward said.

"Yeah. Or, I mean, just, like, us," she said.

"The three of us?" Edward asked.

"No, just..." she motioned between her and Edward.

"Oh," he said dumbly.

Finally he was pulling into her neighborhood, and she directed him where her house was.

"Well, thanks for the ride. I really appreciate it," she said, not moving to open the door. Maybe she was waiting on me to push her out.

"No problem. Have a good afternoon," Edward said kindly.

"Would it be okay to ask for a hug?" She said. Was she kidding me right now?

Edward looked startled, but Lauren was already reaching over and leaning towards him. Edward used his right arm to hug her gently, patting her shoulder. She used both to hug him around the neck.

"Edward, you are so strong! And you smell awesome," she giggled.

Someone get me out of this car.

"Thanks," he smiled, because unwanted attention or not, it was a compliment.

"Okay, bye Edward," she said, before finally getting out of the car. Just as she was about to close it, she turned back.

"Oh, bye Bella," she said to me before slamming the door.

We sat in silence as Lauren walked to her house. She turned around and waved again before going into her house and out of sight.

"You want to come sit up here?" Edward asked.

I climbed out and moved to the front seat beside him, shutting the door and re-buckling my belt.

"That was...weird. It was weird, right?" Edward asked.

"She's weird," I grumbled, glaring towards the house Lauren had just entered.

Edward chuckled.

"Edward, she totally has a crush on you," I blurted out. I was trying not to throw her under the bus, but she wasn't being shy about it anymore so neither was I.

"She does?" He asked. Boys are so dense.

"Of course she does. 'Oh, Edward, you're so neat.' 'Oh, Edward, your car is awesome.' 'Oh, Edward, you're so dreamy.' 'Oh, Edward, blah blah blah," I finished, and looked over at him. He was smiling ear to ear.

"What? Do you like that she has a crush on you?" I snapped.

"No," he laughed. "But I like how cute you look when you're jealous," he said, and I snapped my eyes to him.

"I'm not..." I started, but that was a bold faced lie and we both knew it.

"I would be," he said softly.

"You would be jealous?" I asked.

"If you were me, and I was you, and Lauren was...I don't know, a Laurent?" He said, and I smiled. "I'd definitely be jealous."

His hand reached over and covered mine. He bent his fingers so that they locked with mine, and the warmth I always felt, the insane beating of my heart, and thundering in my stomach, all roared to life at the contact, at his confession.

"So you don't...like her back?" I asked.

"No. Not in that way," he said softly.

"Oh," I said quietly.

We sat for a few more beats of silence before something caught my eye. I glanced behind Edward and saw the curtains of a window in Lauren's house move aside. She was peaking out.

"Don't look, but Lauren is staring out the window at us," I told him.

"Oh, man," Edward said, pulling his hand from mine and turning to put the car in drive.

"So, you think I'm dreamy?" He eventually asked.

"Shut it," I mumbled.

* * *

The ride to my house was much less annoying. He told me about the opportunity that Coach Knight had presented to him to be an student assistant coach.

I broke off bites of my pretzel and munched it, giving Edward a few bites. He couldn't take his hands off of his gears to take it from me, so each time, he'd lean over and I'd put it into his open mouth for him. A few times, his lip grazed my fingers. I shivered at the contact, the flutters in my stomach never subsiding.

We were a few minutes away from my house when something small and orange caught my attention.

"Edward, stop!" I said suddenly. Startled, he slowed to a stop and watched in surprise as I opened my door and scrambled out.

"Bella, what the...?" He asked through the opened door.

I walked up to the little orange ball, bending down to find a very dirty, very fluffy creature.

"Edward, it's a cat!" I called.

"Hey, little love," I said more quietly, reaching a hand out gently to let it sniff me. He meowed at me, sniffing my fingers before pushing his little head under my hand encouraging me to pet him.

"You are so sweet," I cooed.

"Bella?" Edward said, and I realized he'd gotten his chair out and was coming around to me.

"Edward, look," I said.

"What is it?" He asked.

"It's a cat. Hey, baby," I said to him as he stood up and stretched, walking towards me.

"Oh, he's so sweet," I said, stroking the matted fur on the cat's back. He looked up at me then, and had the most startling blue eyes I'd ever seen on an animal.

"Edward, we have to take him. We can't leave him here," I said pleadingly.

"Okay, just...let me get something," he said. He went around to the driver's side and popped the trunk button. He came back and dug around, pulling out a blanket.

"Here, we can put him in the back seat," Edward said.

I looked up with big, sad eyes.

"Or, you can hold him?" Edward suggested. I nodded with a smile. I stood up and gently picked the cat up, walking to the passenger side and sitting down. Edward came around and carefully laid the blanket in my lap. I set the cat down, and I don't know if he was just so tired or weak, but he curled into a tight ball in my lap immediately.

Edward went back around to his side, pulling himself and then his chair in and settling back into the car.

"My dad's going to kill me," I said, wondering how I was going to get a cat in the house.

"What should we do?" Edward asked.

"Well, there isn't a vet around that is open today. Maybe I can take it Monday to get checked out," I said. We had Monday off for a teacher in-service day anyway.

"What do we do now?" He asked.

"He's going to need food. And litter. And a litter box," I said.

Edward drove me to a Dollar General near by, and I handed over the blanket covered cat while I ran in to get stuff.

I found a little box, litter, a food and water bowl, and wet and dry cat food. I also found some shampoo so I could try to bathe him. It was dog shampoo, but it would have to do. I also grabbed a few cat toys.

When I got back to the car with a cart full, Edward leaned down to pop his trunk again so I could load it all in the car.

When I sat back down in the passenger's seat, Edward was petting the cat and it was chewing.

"What's he eating?" I asked.

"I gave him a bite of pretzel. I don't even know if cats can eat that. But he looks so hungry. I hope that's okay," he said, blushing a little.

"Of course," I laughed. "A cat eating a pretzel. This day has really taken a turn," I laughed, reaching over to pet the sweet little fluff in Edward's lap.

"Here, you want to take him back so I can drive?" He asked. I scooped up the cat again. He made a little murr sound before settling back down. I broke off a small bite of pretzel and he took it, chewing it and dropping it on the blanket a few times before finally eating it.

"You like the pretzel, baby?" I cooed.

"Maybe that should be his name," Edward said as he drove.

"What?" I asked.

"Pretzel," he smiled, and I laughed.

"You want to be called Pretzel?" I asked the cat, stroking his ears as he purred.

Edward and I got to my house, and thankfully my dad's car wasn't home. It would give me a little time before I had to face him.

Edward got out and held Pretzel while I got the stuff from the trunk and took it inside.

"I wish I could come in and help you," Edward said sadly. We both looked at the stairs, the only thing keeping him from coming into my house. Our back door had steps, too. There was no way we could get him inside.

I wondered briefly if Emmett would be able to carry him up, but I could only imagine the humiliation Edward would feel at that, so I stopped myself from even considering it.

"That's okay," I shrugged. Pretzel was still laying on the blanket on the porch, at the top of the steps. He looked too tired to move.

"I'll come back and get you Monday so we can take him to the vet. If you want," Edward said.

"Yeah, that would be great. Thank you," I said.

"Still want to get together to work on the project tomorrow?" Edward asked.

"Um, let me see how he does tonight. And how my dad reacts," I said with a grimace.

Edward laughed.

"Okay, well I had fun today. Thanks for riding with me," he said.

"Thank you for taking me. And for letting me rescue a cat," I laughed. "I'll wash the blanket and bring it back to you," I promised.

"I'm not worried about it," he said.

Then, he reached for my hand, pulling me closer to him and not letting go.

"Bella?" He said.

"Yeah?"

"I'll talk to Lauren." Come again?

"You'll...what?" I asked, trying to pull my hand away. He held it tighter, keeping me close.

"I'll let her know that I don't return the same feelings for her. Because I have them...for someone else," he said softly.

"Oh," I breathed.

"Bella?" He asked again.

"Yeah?"

"Would it be okay to ask for a hug?" He said with a grin.

I laughed, leaning down to wrap my arms around him. He pulled so that I sat sideways on his legs, and he put his arms around my waist. I put my arms around his shoulders. Lauren was right. He was strong, and he did smell good. Like cologne and sweet fair foods.

I buried my face into his hair, and I felt his big hands stroking my back softly. I don't know how long we stayed that way, just holding each other, hearts thundering.

"Bella?" He said for a third time.

"Yeah?" I asked him. I leaned back so that I was looking in his eyes, meeting his piercing gaze. Our foreheads were against one another's.

"I really, really like you," he whispered.

Without thinking, ruled only by emotions in that moment, I leaned forward, and he met me the rest of the way. Our lips connected, and I felt every ounce of my affection for him.

His lips pushed against mine, our breaths caught together. I was hyper aware of his touch. His left hand was in my hair, his right on my thigh, stroking up and down, causing me to tingle everywhere.

I reached my hands down and around his torso, pushing them under his jacket to feel his strong, warm body. We both shivered.

Just when I thought I was going to die from the feeling of his lips on mine, his tongue touched my bottom lip, and together they melded. We both moaned at the contact. It was like we couldn't get close enough to each other.

My legs dangled over the side as I sat sideways on his lap. I knew that no other place in the world would ever feel as perfect as this.

We each moved, giving each other better access as his lips worked mine over. I could feel it in my bones, the passion and affection we had for each other.

If it hadn't been for the soft meow from the porch, we would have stayed that way all day.

We broke apart, both breathing hard.

"Wow," he whispered.

"Yeah," I breathed.

"I really, really like you," he said again, and I laughed. His hand had yet to leave my leg, and the feeling of it was all I could think about.

"I guess...I should go tend to him," I said, nodding my head back towards the porch.

"Okay," Edward said sadly.

We both leaned in, our lips barely meeting again before we heard a thump. I turned back quickly to see Pretzel on one of the lower steps, sitting there licking his butt.

"That's romantic," Edward joked and we both laughed.

I reluctantly slid off of Edward's lap and stood up, walking over to scoop up Pretzel and get him inside.

"Get inside, sweetheart. I'll text you later," Edward said.

"Bye. Oh, and Edward?" He stopped and looked back. "I really like you, too."

A grin split his face and he turned back to get into his car.

I stepped into the house and listened as he drove away.

* * *

I smiled as I walked up the stairs, setting Pretzel in my room before going to collect his new litter box and litter.

I smiled as I bathed Pretzel, who took it surprisingly well letting me scrub the grime off of him. He even let my buff him with a towel, but he drew the line at the blow dryer, jumping from my arms and running back to my room.

I smiled as I laid on my bed, a wet cat curled up on my stomach.

I smiled as Edward and I text all afternoon and into the evening. We talked while I was cooking a pot of chili for dinner with my dad. I had the apple cider ready for him, and I made cornbread. I was, maybe, a little bit trying to butter him up.

Pretzel stayed at my feet while I cooked, his demeanor perking up after he ate a bowl of wet cat food and had some water.

His fur air dried, and he was fluffy and gorgeous. I just hoped everything checked out with him when we got to the vet Monday.

My smile, which hadn't left my face all afternoon, as I played over and over again the feel of Edward's lips on mine, finally faded when, around seven that evening, I heard my dad pull up.

I scooped up Pretzel, and he nuzzled my face as we braced ourselves and waited at the kitchen table, both unsure of how my dad was going to react.

"Good luck, buddy," I whispered as the front door opened.

As if on cue, Pretzel let out a loud "meow" and bolted out of my arms, out of the kitchen and right across my dad's line of sight.

I jumped up to run after him just as dad exclaimed, "What in the heck was THAT?"

* * *

 **Let me know what you think!**


	7. Chapter 7

**I am always so so happy to get your reviews. Thank you all. I am glad everyone liked Pretzel. Let's see if Charlie feels the same...**

 **Thanks to Chicsarah, as always.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of these characters.**

* * *

"Hey," I said, a little breathless as I flopped down into the passenger seat of Edward's car.

"Good morning," he said with a grin. "Tired?" He asked.

"Someone," I said, eyeing the cat carrier in the back seat, "didn't want to get into the carrier. I had to chase him around the house."

"Maybe he knows where we are headed," Edward laughed, backing the car out of the driveway.

"He better be grateful. Things were pretty touch and go there for a while," I said with a grimace, remembering how the conversation had gone with my dad when he walked in on Saturday evening.

"But he's letting you keep him, yeah?" Edward asked, navigating off of my street and towards the highway that would take us to the vet. I'd called as soon as they opened at eight and asked for the first available appointment.

"Conditionally," I said.

"Meaning...?"

"I have to clean up after him, pay for everything he needs, keep him from making messes or destroying anything," I explained. "But that's okay. Hopefully he won't need frequent vet visits after this. And I can handle his food expense. I went to get him a scratching post yesterday, before he tried to use the couch again," I groaned.

"I'll help you however I can," Edward said.

He was stopped at a red light, so I chanced a look at him and realized he was looking at me. I caught his eye and he gave me a wink, turning back and taking off again when the light changed.

"Thank you, Edward," I said.

"Anything for you, Bella," he replied.

I was grateful things weren't awkward between us. We hadn't seen each other the day before because I was busy tending to Pretzel, but we'd texted throughout the day.

I told him some of how things went with my dad, but it had taken me until late last night to convince him to let me keep Pretzel.

"Dad, please? He will be here to keep me company when you work nights." I hated throwing that at him, but I was running out of options.

"Bells, don't use that against me, baby. You know I hate leaving you here alone," he said with a frown.

"I know, daddy. But this would be good for me. Something to fill the quiet and keep me company," I said.

"I just don't know...a cat? What about a fish? They got some pretty ones at Walmart," he said.

"Dad, those Walmart fish are already half dead when you buy them. And besides, Pretzel needs a home. He's so sweet. And you can't cuddle a fish," I said.

He was silent, thinking. Pretzel was rubbing against my legs as I sat at the kitchen table, trying desperately to convince my dad.

Finally, I bent to pick Pretzel up and held him under the arms, dangling him in front Dad.

"In the arms of an angel..." I started. Dad looked up.

"Oh, come on!" Dad said, backing away.

"Fly awayyyy from here..." I sang, standing and walking closer to dad while holding Pretzel out. For his part, he looked sad. Though that was probably more because of how I was holding him.

"You don't play fair," dad whined.

"May you findddddd, some comfort here," I said, cradling Pretzel to me as he let me nuzzle his face.

"Fine," dad said with groan.

I smiled at the memory, knowing those SPCA commercials could break even the strongest man.

"So how did you convince him?" Edward asked as we pulled into the parking lot of Forks Animal Hospital.

"Oh, you know," I said, jumping out of the car quickly to retrieve my cat, not willing to embarrass myself in front of my crush/hopefully one day boyfriend/cat baby daddy.

* * *

Two hours and $180 later, we were leaving with a healthy cat in tow.

The vet gave Pretzel all of his shots, and was surprised to see that he was already neutered. They checked for a microchip, but found none. The vet suggested it's possible he was part of the trap and release program that shelters did, spaying and neutering feral cats before releasing them back into the wild so they couldn't reproduce.

Pretzel was young, though-about a year old. And for whatever reason, he'd never turned feral and was as friendly as could be.

We were checking out at the desk, when I noticed a dachshund behind the counter walking around, a little harness with two wheels attached to his back.

Edward couldn't see over the counter, so I asked the vet tech if they could bring it out.

"She's up for adoption," the tech smiled, letting us know her name was Clara. She was five and had become paralyzed two years before. They tried surgery, but she never regained her ability to walk, so she had her own customized wheelchair.

"She's precious," I said, reaching to pet her. "Edward, you should adopt her."

"I'm sure my parents wouldn't be pleased to have a second kid in a wheelchair," Edward chuckled.

My dad was home when we got back to the house, so there couldn't be a round two of Saturday. But when we'd parked, before getting out, Edward held his hand out to me and grasped mine tightly.

"Thanks for letting me take you and Pretzel to the vet," Edward said.

"Thank you for taking us! I'm just glad he's healthy. And it's good that he's already neutered. That's one less thing to worry about," I said.

"Definitely," Edward replied. As we talked, we were leaning in closer to each other. I felt my heart start beating faster, my breathing grow more shallow as I anticipated what was about to happen.

"Bella," Edward whispered, not for any reason other than to say my name before he placed his lips carefully on mine.

My lips found his, and even though the seatbelt buckle was digging into my side uncomfortably, I wouldn't have been able to move if I wanted to.

Edward's mouth worked against mine slowly, before I felt his tongue lightly touch my lips. I opened my mouth to him, feeling a shiver, a tingle in every part of me as our tongues touched. His breath was my breath, our air clouded in each other.

When finally we broke apart, we kept our foreheads against each other's, breathing, smiling.

"Bella, I wanted to ask you something," he said, but stopped short when we heard the front door open outside, and we glanced up to see my dad step out.

We broke apart quickly, neither of us prepared to be caught.

"Crap," I whispered, unbuckling my seatbelt and climbing out, reaching to the back to get the cat carrier.

Edward did the same, pulling his chair out and sliding into it so that he could walk me to the porch.

"Hey, dad," I said, once I got to the bottom of the steps. Edward followed me, stopping when his chair could take him no further.

"Hey, kids. How's the cat?" He asked.

"All good. Clean bill of health," I stammered nervously.

"Good, good. Edward, good to see you again," dad said, stepping down to the ground to shake Edward's hand.

"You too, Mr. Swan," Edward said politely.

"You guys going to stay and work on your project?" Dad asked, and I cringed.

"Oh, um, no, not today. Edward was just leaving," I said, looking at him sadly. He smiled at me, a reassurance that it was okay.

"Yes, just heading out. Mr. Swan, have a good day. I'll see you at school tomorrow, Bella," he said, turning his chair to go back to his car.

"Bye, Edward," dad and I both said, walking into the house as Edward got in his car.

Once we got inside, I let Pretzel out of the carrier and set it by the door so I could return it to the neighbor later.

"Dad, why did you ask that?" I said as my dad walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge.

"Ask what?" Dad said, turning to look at me, confused.

"If Edward was staying. You know he can't get into the house with all these stairs," I said.

"Oh, hell. I didn't even think about it, Bells. I'm sorry," he said.

"It's okay. I just, I hate to be a reminder of his limitations, you know?" I said.

"You really like him, don't you?" Dad asked.

"Yeah...I do. He's a good friend," I said lamely.

"Bella, you can tell me. If you like this boy, if he's going to be your boyfriend, I want to know."

"Well, we haven't said anything official, but I think - I hope - it's headed in that direction," I answered honestly.

"He's a good kid. Just make sure it's worth it to you. I know he's been through a lot. Dating him wouldn't come without - you know, it's difficulties," my dad warned.

"I know. But they'd be worth it, dad. I promise," I assured.

"Well alright, then. I trust you. You're a great kid. Er, young woman, I should say."

"Thank you, dad. I love you," I told him, leaning in for a one armed hug.

"I love you more, sweetie," he told me, kissing the top of my head.

Not for the first time, and certainly not for the last time in my life, I was grateful for my dad.

* * *

The next day at school, I got to lunch to find Angela, Jessica, and Eric already there. Alice and Jasper were getting to the table the same time I was. Mike wad seated beside Eric, with Tyler across from him, and Ben was beside Angela, in my usual seat.

"Hey guys," I said, preparing to walk around and sit across from them.

"Oh, Bella, sorry. Here, you can have your seat back. I was just talking to Angela about something," Ben said as he grabbed his things and started to stand.

"Don't worry about it! I can sit over here today," I smiled, taking my seat.

As the others filed in, Edward noticed that I wasn't beside his seat, and he looked up at me. I mouthed 'sorry' to him and cut my eyes to Angela and Ben. Since everyone at the table but Ben seemed to know Ang had a crush on him, Edward just nodded in understanding.

As lunch went on, though, there was one person noticeably absent.

"Hey guys, where's Lauren?" I asked. Not that I truly cared, but I didn't want her to be sick or anything.

"She's hiding out in the library, starting the lonely hearts club," Eric said.

"What do you mean?" I asked, nonchalantly, but wondering if Edward had talked to her already.

"Apparently she tracked down your boyfriend's phone number and called him last night," Eric explained.

"My boyfriend? Edward's not my-"

"Yeah, regardless. She called him and I guess tried to basically ask him out. He declined and told her that he wasn't interested. According to the text she sent," Eric shrugged.

"Oh," I replied lamely.

"Don't feel bad, Bella. Anyone can see that you and Edward are getting close and like each other. Lauren was being delusional," Jessica said.

"I don't feel bad. I just, you know, don't want to have anyone mad at me," I said. I did kind of feel bad. I knew what it was like to get hurt. Not in an unrequited kind of way. More in a 'my boyfriend found someone he requited more' kind of way.

"She'll get over it, B. I don't even really know if it was him she liked so much as the idea of him. The attractive, nice guy who got hurt by another girl last year. The idea that she could be a martyr by loving the boy in the wheelchair," Angela said.

"Y'all don't think...that I'm doing that, do you? Because I'm not," I defended.

"Relax, Sookie Stackhouse. We know," Eric said with an eye roll.

"Maybe I should go talk to her?" I suggested.

"Bella, stop. She will be fine," Jessica urged.

"Yeah, she said she already kind of liked someone else anyway," Eric shrugged.

"Really? Who?" Jessica asked.

"Nuh uh, I'm not breaking girl code," Eric said.

"Oh, come on. She will tell me eventually anyway," Jessica said.

"Nope," Eric said, but as he did, he cut his eyes across the table to the person a few seats down from me. I followed his eyes to see Tyler, who surprisingly was looking right back at Eric. Had he been listening this entire time?

We all looked at each other questioningly before Tyler grabbed his tray and stood up.

"Man, where are you going?" Mike asked.

"I uh, forgot something I need. For class. From the library," he stammered. Interesting. Maybe Lauren wasn't in for a long bout of wallowing after all.

* * *

The rest of the week passed smoothly. Lauren had rejoined our lunch table the next day, and to no one's surprise, she was sitting beside Tyler.

Edward had told me that when Lauren called, he gently explained that while he found her to be a very kind person, who would make anyone very happy, he was already falling for someone else.

"You're...falling for me?" I asked quietly that night on the phone as we talked.

"So, so hard," he said softly.

We hadn't had a minute alone after Monday, but the casual touches had gradually become hand holding under the lunch table, or his hand on my thigh as we ate and talked to our friends.

He walked me to my car after school, we saw each other between classes when we could, and we talked every night.

On Friday, it was his first official game helping coach for the team. The game was over an hour away, so the gang and I weren't going. Edward promised to text me when he got home.

We were planning to hang out at his house that Saturday, after his physical therapy that morning.

When I arrived Saturday, Edward answered the door.

"Where is everyone?" I asked.

"Mom and dad took Alice car shopping. She will be 16 soon, and has been driving them crazy about it," Edward said.

"Oh, cool. So, we're...alone?" I asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, we are," he said.

"Oh," I said dumbly. My nerves were in overdrive.

"If you want, we could work in my room," Edward said.

He could probably hear how hard my heart was pounding.

"Okay," I breathed.

Edward turned to go down the hall, stopping at a door on the left.

I followed him as he opened it and let me in. Inside, his bed was pushed to the wall opposite the door, covered in a solid grey bedspread. There was no headboard. A nightstand was beside it, a lamp and his cellphone resting on it.

The walls were bare, empty of anything that made this look like his room.

There was a chest of drawers across from the bed, a large TV on it. A laptop sat on a small desk beside that.

To the left was an open door to a bathroom.

"It's not much," he shrugged.

"It just looks so bare. I didn't think you were a decorator, but I figured there'd be more stuff on the walls," I laughed.

"Yeah," he laughed shakily. "I, uh, just moved into this room last year. I used to have a different one. Up stairs," he shrugged.

"Oh. Edward, I'm sorr-"

"Bella, please don't tell me you're sorry. You're the one person who doesn't constantly feel the need to say that to me. I just, I like that you don't say it. Even if you do really feel sorry for me," he said.

"Edward, I don't. Feel sorry for you, I mean," I said. I walked over to him, setting my bag on the floor and sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Am I sorry this happened to you?" I continued. "Yes, of course. But I'm not sorry for you. You have a good life, and despite what happened to you, you don't feel the need to be sorry for yourself. You live life, you enjoy the people around, and you work hard every day to have a better future. And, you have no shortage of girls who like you," I said with a smile.

"As long as one girl, in particular, likes me, that's all I care about," he grinned.

"Come over here so we can work," I smiled.

Edward used his strong arms to lift out of his chair and move to the bed. I scooted to the side so he could lift his long legs up and onto the bed. He was in jeans and a snug t-shirt shirt, his feet bare.

I kicked off my own flats and moved so that I was sitting cross legged beside him, facing him.

I grabbed my backpack and got a notebook out, and he leaned over to his own book bag beside the bed, pulling a binder and a pen out.

"I really don't know what to cover that we haven't already. I feel like I've known you all my life," Edward said.

"Same. I know there are probably tons of things we could tell each other, but I feel like I've known you for so long now. I wish I had. I wish we'd been friends for years instead of just a couple of months," I said.

"I don't," Edward replied, causing me to snap my head up in his direction.

"You don't?" I asked, taken aback.

"No, I don't. Because then you would have been there for the worst year of my life. And it may never have lead to us becoming friends now. Or...more," he whispered.

"I like to think I would have been there for you last year. But you're right. With the situation, and your relationship with...Tanya, maybe we wouldn't have become friends at all," I shrugged. The idea of not having Edward in my life caused a physical ache within me.

"Will you tell me about it?" I asked.

"Which part?" Edward asked, leaning back against the pillows that were against the wall in his makeshift bedroom. He didn't even have a place to call his own, because this wasn't anything like what most teenagers' rooms were like.

"All of it. The accident. Tanya," I said.

"You know most of the details already," he said.

"I know what I've heard."

"Well, most of that is true. I'd just caught the ball and was backing up, ready to pass, when I felt a helmet and a shoulder ram into the middle of my back. I dropped to the ground instantly. My head was completely clear, and I knew immediately something was wrong. The feeling in my legs was gone, and I've never felt more scared in my life," he said.

I stayed quiet, listening.

"Someone took my helmet off, and immediately the coaches and a paramedic were beside me. I kept saying I couldn't move. They tried to get my to lift my leg or wiggle my foot or something. I couldn't.

They got me on the stretcher, and I saw my parents following me to the ambulance. My mom was crying. I saw Tanya. She was crying. My dad looked scared, trying to rush up and check me out, going into doctor mode. They held him back. I didn't know what was going on. I was terrified, but I just kept silent as the paramedics hovered. They stuck IVs in me. For what, I don't know. I wasn't bleeding or anything. Pain medicine, I guess. Which was funny because I was less focused on the pain I could feel and more focused on what I couldn't feel."

"Edward," I said, at a loss.

"I spent two weeks in the hospital before being moved to a rehab facility. They did four different surgeries, but nothing was helping. No amount of connecting nerves and trying to repair them could outdo the damage. So I spent the next month and a half in rehab. Even though the injury was in my lower spine, it had weakened everything. I had to learn how to grip with my fingers again, how to keep my head up, how to sit up normally. It was hard, but I'm grateful for it. It helped me get back the mobility I lost."

"Wow, that sounds intense," I said.

"It was. But I had some good people helping me through. Emmett and Jasper visited a lot. Most of the football team did, too, at least in the beginning. I think everyone was afraid of me for a while," he said sadly.

"Afraid?" I asked.

"Yeah. Survivor's guilt, so to speak. The guys on the team all felt bad, seeing me there, unable to walk. Unable to ever play again. It made me feel helpless, small. I was glad that they stopped visiting after a while," he said.

"What about Tanya?" I asked.

"She was there every day for a while, too. She'd come and sit with me, she'd bring me snacks, she'd stay and watch my rehab sessions. Even though she had her own stuff to worry about, she was great. One day I finally asked her if she'd talked to Garrett. I wanted to know why my closest friend hadn't come to see me. She said it was just hard for him to see me this way. I asked her to at least talk to him. I guess that's where I messed up."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because he finally came to see me a week later. I was in my chair by then, and had been for several days. He visited for a solid 20 minutes before leaving. Tanya followed him out, since it was getting late.

I wheeled over to the window of my room, like I did every night to watch her leave. She didn't know I did it. I just liked to see her one last time. But I got more than I bargained for that night. I noticed her and Garrett having a pretty heated looking discussion before he grabbed her and kissed her. I waited for her to push him off, but she only pulled him closer," Edward finished.

"Holy shit," I said. "What the hell? I mean, really, what the hell?" I raged.

"It was a long time ago, Bella. It sucked, but at the same time I think I almost felt relieved," he said.

"Relieved? That your girlfriend was being unfaithful?" I asked.

"No, just relieved in general. Knowing that I had so much recovery ahead, I knew I would never be able to give her what she needed. We were together for a year out of what was probably mostly just convenience. I really liked her at first, but we had so little in common. She was college bound, and at that point I wasn't even sure if I'd return to high school. It was just easier to have a reason to let it go, move on," he explained.

"I think I kind of understand that," I said, calming down from earlier furry. Even if Tanya didn't want to be with Edward anymore, it baffled me that she'd cheat on him. But knowing that Edward wanted a way out and this was a good reason, I definitely understood.

"Yeah?" He asked. I nodded, and we quietly looked at each other for several long seconds.

Finally I looked down, picking at the skin around my fingers (a terrible nervous habit).

"I got cheated on, too," I confessed. I glanced up and saw his head snap up, his eyes suddenly furious.

"What? Who the fu-who would do that to you?" He asked.

"His name was Jacob. We started dating when I was a sophomore. He was cute, kind. I thought I loved him. I gave him everything," I whispered.

"Everything?" Edward asked, reaching his hand out to mine.

"Yeah. The summer before junior year. It was, I don't know. It never felt like anything I'd been waiting for. But I liked feeling loved and I liked having a boyfriend. So I stayed with him. It was right after Valentine's Day. He came to my house and confessed that he'd slept with another girl that weekend. Some girl named Vanessa. That was it. He didn't try to beg for me back. He didn't fight for me. And I was relieved. Sad, hurt, but relieved," I finished.

"I would have fought for you," Edward said.

"Something tells me you wouldn't hurt me enough to have to," I finished.

Edward and I spent the rest of the afternoon talking. Eventually he laid down and I curled up beside him, his arm around me, my hand on his chest.

"Did you love her? Tanya, I mean?" I asked.

"I guess on some level. We shared a lot together," he said.

"Was she your...first?" I asked.

"Err, second," he admitted.

"Edward!" I gasped mockingly, laughing with him.

"You're kind of slutty," I said with a grin.

"Har har," he said, but pulled me closer to him.

"But to answer your question, I think I did love her. But I don't know if I was in love with her. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah, it kind of does. That's how I felt about Jacob. I loved him. The idea of him. But I don't think he was the great first love of my life," I shrugged, my hand lightly grazing Edward's strong chest.

"It's crazy," Edward said, and I felt him turn to look down at me.

"What is?" I asked, turning up to meet his gaze.

"I thought I loved her. Thought I knew what love felt like. But it was nothing compared to what I'm already feeling for you," he said quietly.

"Edward," I said, pushing up to kiss him with every emotion and feeling I had for him.

This kiss wasn't slow. It was hard, forceful, passionate.

Edward's free hand came down to my leg, rubbing it up and down the back of my thigh as my tongue dipped into his mouth.

His hand slipped down to the back of my leg, cupping it behind my knee.

I sighed in delighted surprise as he pulled my leg up, hitching it around him.

My free hand continued to work his chest as his roamed the back of my leg, his hand sliding up to cup my backside.

I felt him everywhere as I tried desperately to get closer to him.

Finally, finding a boldness I didn't know I had, I moved up and over him so that I was straddling him as he continued to lay on the bed, propped up against the wall.

Edward felt so tall this way. I realized then just how much taller he was than me, and it was nice to feel like this with him. I was getting a glimpse of the boy he was before.

My hands wove into his hair as our mouths continued to move against each other's. Our heads turned, giving each other better access, bringing us impossibly closer.

Edward put both of his hands on my backside, pulling me tighter to him so that my center met his. His legs may have been paralyzed, but the rest of him was definitely not. He was very hard against me, and we both groaned as I moved against him, giving us both a delicious friction.

"Bella, fuck," he whispered, his inhibitions let go as I continued to move against him.

"You like that?" I asked coyly, before leaning down to capture his mouth with mine again.

"I didn't know it could...that I could feel...baby, please don't stop," he said roughly, his voice thick and deep with desire.

We were both so worked up that I about jumped off the bed when his phone started blaring loudly beside us.

"Holy crap," I screeched, sitting up as he flopped back against the bed, the phone still ringing beside us.

I rolled off of him as he used one elbow to prop himself up, the other reaching over to grab the phone.

"Hello?" He asked. "Yeah, okay. Okay, see you soon," he said, hitting end.

"That was Alice. She and my parents are going to grab some dinner and want me to come meet them. Do you want to join?" He asked.

Yeah, because sitting across from Mr. and Mrs. Cullen after I just finished dry humping their son sounded fun.

"I actually probably need to go check on Pretzel. He's at home with my dad today," I said.

"Oh, okay."

"I'm sorry we had to...stop..." I said.

"It's probably best anyway," he said, and I couldn't keep the hurt off of my face.

Edward sat up, pulling me to him and cupping my face.

"I just meant, because I don't want to rush anything. I haven't even taken you on a real date yet, and here I am groping at you like a hungry bear," he laughed.

"I didn't mind," I smiled.

"Bella, I want to be with you. In every sense of the word. And knowing that, despite everything about me, you still want to be with me, too? You can't imagine how incredible that feels to me," he said.

"Edward, I want to be with you because you're amazing. Not despite anything. I love everything about you," I told him, looking into his eyes and telling him everything I was growing to feel for him.

"Bella, can I ask you something?"

I nodded.

"Would you...would you be my girlfriend?" He asked cautiously.

"Edward," I breathed, grabbing his face in my hands and pulling him in for a searing kiss.

"Of course, you silly boy. Of course I will be your girlfriend," I said.

Edward hugged me to him, pulling me into his lap.

Our mouths found each other's again, the heat between us growing rapidly.

"Dinner with your parents," I mumbled.

"Right," he said. I climbed off of him, gathering my things while he pulled his chair over and lifted himself into it.

"I'm just going to change," he said.

"Okay, I'm going to head out. Call me later?" I asked.

"Of course, love," he said.

"Bye, Edward," I said.

"Bye, Bella," he grinned.

* * *

I drove home in a daze, thinking about how incredible the afternoon was. Edward was my boyfriend. Just thinking it out loud felt amazing.

I did feel bad leaving him in the state I did. I giggled, wondering if he had to do more than just change after I left.

I was barely aware of the drive home, my mind still focused on the feel of Edward's hands on me, the closeness we'd shared. So it took me by surprise when I got home and stepped out of my car, realizing my dad was outside, stacks of two by fours and his toolbox beside him.

Pretzel was sitting in the window inside, looking out through the curtains.

My dad was to the right side of the porch, which spanned the front length of the house. The railing at the end had been removed, and there was what looked like sloped wood leading from the ground up to the porch. It was longer, so as not to make it very steep.

"Dad, what are you doing?" I asked.

"Well, I figured you're making new friends, and they may be coming around more. I want this home to be a place you feel comfortable bringing them. Wouldn't be fair if not everyone could come in the house, you know?" He said.

My eyes filled with tears. "Daddy, you're the best man in the whole world. Thank you," I said, wrapping my arms around him tightly.

"Anything for my baby girl," he said gruffly, setting down the hammer and putting his arms around my shoulders. "Anything."

* * *

 **Let me know what you thought! :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**I am so so glad you all are happy with these two, and with Charlie. He's my favorite, too. In honor of my favorite holiday approaching, I give you the Halloween chapter. Happy reading!**

 **Chicsarah, thank you for being amazing, as always! Facebook reminded me that we became friends two years ago today, and that she has been my beta ever since.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or these characters.**

* * *

Halloween was upon us, only two days away, and I was anticipating spending it with the gang.

It fell on a Sunday, and since my dad was working that night, it was decided that everyone would come to my house to hang out and hand out candy to trick-or-treaters.

"You guys are all wearing costumes, right?" I asked Friday at lunch, feeling Edward's hand gently rubbing circles on my thigh.

I glanced at him and he smirked, seeing the slight tremor in my body when he edged closer inward on my leg.

"Hell, yeah!" Emmett fist pumped, causing a laugh from all of us.

"Halloween is his favorite," Rosalie said from beside him.

"Mine, too, Emmett," I smiled.

"I have to go find something today," Angela said beside me.

"Ditto," Jessica said.

Eric was busy scrolling through his phone under the table, but he'd already told me he was coming.

"I got Jasper's and my costumes a few weeks ago," Alice grinned.

"You guys are matching?" I asked.

"Of course," Alice said, causing an eye roll from almost everyone around us.

"What?" She asked. "Rose and Emmett are, too," Alice explained.

"Yes, but ours are funny, not embarrassing," Rosalie said, causing a laugh from Emmett and a grimace from Jasper.

"Anyway," Edward said. "Bella, do you want to coordinate with me?" He jokingly asked.

"Sorry, buddy. I've already got mine, and my number one priority for all Halloween costumes is and always will be comfort," I said.

"I hear that. If I can't wear leggings or sweatpants, it's not worth wearing," Jessica said.

Blessedly, Lauren was stuck up Tyler's butt, and I'd heard they were going to a party with Mike and some other guys from the team. It seemed very un-Lauren, but as long as she wasn't going to be at my house and up Edward's butt, I didn't care.

"Alright, y'all come to the house around six. I'll have plenty of snacks and candy for us. Who's bringing the movies?" I asked.

"I am, Miss Daisy," Eric said, joining the conversation, as ever, to poke at my slip of the Southern tongue.

"Hey Eric," I called, waiting for him to look before shooting a middle finger his way. "Kiss my grits," I said, laying on the accent as thick as I could.

He rolled his eyes before shrugging.

"Hmph, I prefer oatmeal."

* * *

Later that night, we were all at our usual tables at Waffle House. Edward was in a Forks High polo and pullover, having officially joined the coaching staff.

Everyone was talking and laughing, celebrating the victory as they finished their food.

Edward and I were off to the side, me in his lap. I'd grown more comfortable with this position, certainly now that I was officially his girlfriend.

My arm was around his neck, his around my back, his other hand rubbing my leg gently.

"Bella?" He asked softly so that only I could hear.

I turned to him, meeting his eyes.

"Can I take you on a date tomorrow?" He asked. "A first date," he clarified.

"Edward, we've been on a first date..." I trailed, suddenly realizing that wasn't true.

"No, we've been on group outings, we've hung out at each other's houses doing school work, but we haven't been on a date just us yet," he explained.

He was right. We'd gone out with friends, been to Fall for Forks, and had a few more make-out sessions at his house, but we hadn't been on a true date.

"Okay," I whispered with a smile, excitement in my voice. "What did you have in mind?" I asked.

"It's a surprise," he grinned, leaning in to capture my lips softly.

* * *

The next day, I was ready at two, as Edward had instructed. He told me to dress casually, and also, mysteriously, to pack a swimsuit and towel with a dry change of clothes.

When I reminded him that the temperatures were in the 40's and that I wasn't about to get into whatever murky lake or river Forks had to offer, he rolled his eyes and told me to trust him. So I did.

Promptly at two, there was a knock on the door. I grabbed my coat, slipping it on over my long-sleeved cotton tunic that I'd worn with soft, patterned leggings and flats.

I opened the door, smiling as I saw Edward triumphantly perched right outside on the porch.

I was reminded of the first time he'd seen the ramp two weeks before, when he'd driven me home after the football game that I'd ridden to with Angela.

We pulled up, his headlights illuminating the driveway, and at first he didn't notice.

Edward put the car in park and turned to me, ready to lean in for a goodbye kiss. I leaned forward and kissed him softly, as ever feeling the butterflies in my stomach when his lips found mine.

"Would you like to come in?" I asked softly, knowing my dad was working that night.

"Bella," Edward said, pulling back, his brows knitted together in a mixture of confusion and hurt. "I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or just cruel," he mumbled.

"Neither," I said, shaking my head. "Edward, look," I said, turning forward and pointing to the edge of the ramp that was visible around my car in the driveway.

"What the...when did...how?" He stammered.

"My dad put it in for you," I said softly.

"Seriously?" Edward asked, pulling away from me so he could grab his chair from the back seat and get out of the car.

"Seriously," I told him, laughing at his excitement.

Once he was seated in his chair, he made his way toward to porch and to the edge of the ramp. I followed him as he easily pushed himself up it and onto the porch.

"This is...wow," he said, and it was beautiful and heartbreaking to see him in such reverie over simply being able to join me in my home.

It still sucked that he wasn't going to be able come up to my bedroom, but for now, this would be enough.

"Come on," I said, stepping around him to unlock the door and flip on the porch light.

My dad had even made a small little ramp over the door frame so that Edward's chair could roll over it easily.

I showed Edward around the house, as much as we could cover on the first floor. We grabbed sodas from the kitchen before going into the living room to watch a movie.

Edward had moved himself to the large sectional couch we had, sitting back in the corner of it and pulling his legs up onto the lounge part.

I grabbed the remote so we could scroll Netflix. We settled on The Office, and I leaned back against him so that I had my legs on the other part of the couch, stretched out.

"Thank you," Edward whispered, his arms around me tightly. I felt his lips press to my temple, and I brought my hands up to rub his forearms.

"It was all my dad's doing," I said with a shrug.

"Still, thank you. For being you. For having a cool dad. For both of you accepting me the way I am."

"Edward, I don't know how many times I have to tell you: you are perfect. You act like we are some martyrs for having you in our lives," I said to him, wondering if he'd ever understand that he was only as different as he felt himself to be. That to me, to my dad, to his friends and family, the only thing that set him apart was how he moved through the world.

"I never knew, Bella. I never knew that happiness could exist like this. Even before my injury, I've never felt this complete. Not...until you," he whispered.

My mind snapped back to the present. I beamed at Edward, matching his breathtaking smile as he sat before me in dark jeans and a snug fitting Henley, ready to take me on our first date.

"You ready to go, love?" He asked kindly.

"So ready," I said to him, pulling my purse over my shoulder and accepting his hand as he held it out to me.

We walked down the ramp together, him holding my right hand in his left as he used his other hand to ease slowly down and towards his car.

When we got to the Corolla, he opened my door for me and let me tuck inside before shutting it and moving around to his side.

I was always in awe of how graceful he was about lifting his entire body from the chair to the car, as if it was nothing, and then folding the chair up and bringing it into the car without ever making it look difficult.

We hit the road, quickly leaving the Fork's town limits.

So we were going to PA, then. Interesting.

"I would have taken you to PA anyway, even if it was just for dinner and a movie," Edward shrugged, as if reading my thoughts.

"So we're not going to dinner and a movie?" I asked.

"Nope," he said with a pop of his lips.

We talked as we drove, discussing Halloween. He still hadn't come up with a costume but told me not to worry, that he'd figure something out by tomorrow.

I told him it didn't have to be fancy. Mine consisted of leggings and a sweatshirt, so I wouldn't be offended if no one went crazy with their costumes.

By the time we got to downtown PA, I was no less clued in to whatever we are doing.

"Okay, I figured surprise first, then food," Edward said.

"Am I going to need my swimsuit for this part?" I asked, trying to hold back my grimace but not really excited about getting in water before dinner.

"No, that's for later," Edward said, parallel parking in the street in front of a line of shops.

I saw a book store, an antique store, a wig store, and a-

"Artsy Me?" I asked out loud.

"It's a pottery place," Edward said, putting the car in park and moving to get his chair out, waiting for no traffic so he could open the door and get into it.

"Really?" I asked excitedly as I got out of the car.

Edward wheeled down a little to find the dip in the sidewalk where there was no curb, then came back to meet me in front of the pottery studio.

"Really," he answered. "You told me how much you used to love painting pottery at day camp, so I figured we could paint some today. Together," he smiled.

"Edward, this is awesome! Thank you!" I said, leaning down to hug him and kiss him on the mouth.

"It was worth it for that reaction," he laughed, pushing himself forward to get the door and open it for me.

"Welcome to 'Artsy Me'!" A girl behind the glass case said. Canvases and mounted plates of artwork were all over the walls. The walls, themselves, were all different bright colors, and none of the chairs matched at the tables. "Will you two be painting pottery today?" She asked.

"Yes, thank you," Edward said.

"Great! Go ahead and pick out your pieces that you want to paint, and then check out the wall of colors. I'll come pour up your color palettes when you're ready," she explained.

Edward and I made our way over to the area where there were shelves and shelves of white clay pieces. Piggy banks, decorative plates, little figurines, bowls, vases. I wasn't sure what I wanted to paint, overwhelmed by the choices.

"Why don't we surprise each other?" Edward suggested.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Let's not show each other what we pick. Let's each paint something and wait until the end to let each other see it," Edward said.

"How are we going to do that? Will we have to sit at separate tables?" I asked sadly. We were the only people in the studio. I didn't want to sit alone on the date.

"Ma'am?" Edward asked to the girl who was working at the studio. "Do you have a box or barrier or something we can put between us? My girlfriend and I want to surprise each other with our paintings," Edward explained.

"Oh, how sweet! Yes, of course. Let me go grab something," she said.

Edward looked back at me with a grin.

"Fine," I laughed. "Pick out what you're painting and then I will pick mine," I told him.

I turned my back to him as he made his selection, and then I heard him move over to the tables, sliding a chair out of the way so he could push his wheelchair up to the table.

I decided, if we were surprising each other, that I'd pick something special for him.

The girl working came out of the back room with a piece of cardboard box that had been cut and folded. There were paint stains all over it.

"Will this work?" She asked, and Edward agreed.

Once it was set up, I moved back to the first piece that had caught my eye and made me think of Edward, carefully lifting it from the shelf and walking over to set it down at a seat across from Edward. I couldn't see in front of him but could see over the box to look at him.

He winked at me as I sat down, and I smiled back at him.

"Okay, time to pick your colors," the assistant said, walking over to us with two little trays with compartments. The colors were on the wall painted onto little clay flowers and numbered, so after each of us picked our numbers, she handed us our trays.

"You need to do at least three coats of paint to get the colors to stick, and then we will glaze them for you. Make sure to put your name or initials on the bottom in paint so we can identify them when you come to pick them up," she explained.

At that, Edward and I got to work. We talked and joked with each other a first, but before long, both of us were deep in concentration, working on our masterpieces.

Two hours eventually passed, and my cramped hand and I were done. Edward had finished before me, not quite as meticulous as I seemed to be. He was happy to chat with me as I worked, putting the finishing touches on my design.

"Okay, I think I'm done," I declared, dipping my brush in water before patting it dry. I cracked my stiff knuckles and sat up, stretching my back.

"Yeah?" Edward asked, sitting up straight in his chair.

"Yeah," I grinned.

"Okay, ready to see what we made for each other?" Edward asked, putting his hands on the box to move it.

"Uh huh."

"1...2...3!" He said, pulling the box away and revealing our work.

"Edward, is that...?"

"It's a food dish. For Pretzel," he confirmed.

"Oh my gosh, Edward! It's so cute!" I exclaimed, both in awe of his apparent talent and the thoughtfulness of making something for Pretzel.

He slid it to me so I could look at it better. There was a goldfish painted in the bottom of the bowl. The rest of it was blue and white striped, and across the front in black was Pretzel's name. Edward had even drawn on a little brown pretzel beside his name.

"It's perfect!" I gushed, suddenly a little nervous about my sad little painting.

"I'm glad you like it," he chuckled. "Now what did you make me?" He asked.

"Oh, um..." I said, sliding the frame over.

I'd used the little paint pens to make polka dots on it, in various colors, and then wrote all around it, "I love my best friend."

"I thought you could put that picture of you and Archie in it," I said with a shrug.

"I love it, Bella. Thank you," his smile genuine.

"Sorry, I'm not that great at painting," I laughed.

"It's perfect," he assured me.

After we were done, the girl up front, Maggie, we'd learned, came to collect our pieces and Edward paid for the items and the studio fee. She told us they'd be ready the following Wednesday but that we could come by anytime after that to get them.

We thanked her and left the studio. I was going towards the car when Edward motioned for me down the sidewalk.

"The restaurant is just right down here," he said.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Follow me," he said. Together we walked down towards the corner to a small Italian restaurant.

"You said your favorite food was pasta, and this place has the best," he told me. "You can watch them rolling it by hand through that window," he motioned, pointing to the window by the door where there was someone sitting at a flour covered table, rolling out dough and cutting it.

"Come on," he said, leading me in.

Edward wasn't kidding about how good the pasta was. I decided to get Alfredo, and it came with thin mushrooms and little pieces of prosciutto mixed into a heavy, cheesy sauce. Even the bread that came with it was fresh and warm, and by the time we were done, I was full almost to the point of misery.

"That was amazing," I told him sincerely. It had been, truthfully, the best pasta I'd ever eaten.

"Would either of you care for dessert?" The waiter asked as he stepped up to the table to retrieve our empty plates.

"Bella?" Edward asked.

"I don't think I can eat any more right now. Want to just snack on Halloween candy when we get home?" I asked, knowing there was a giant bowl of candy on the kitchen table.

"Perfect," Edward laughed.

Once he'd paid and we were back in the car, Edward asked me if I was ready for the last stop on our date.

"If it requires anything other than sitting here and rubbing my full stomach, I'm not sure I can handle it," I said, half joking but half serious.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. We've got an hour to get back to Forks. Just rest until then," he said, starting the car and pulling out of his spot.

I was still nervous about whatever else was planned. The food baby I was sporting was not going to look good in a swimsuit. At least I'd brought a one piece.

Thankfully, Edward was right, and the long drive back gave me plenty of time. My stomach was feeling better, the food digesting and settling as we pulled back into Forks city limits.

"Edward, where are we going? I seriously can't imagine why we'd need bathing suits unless we are catching a plane to Hawaii," I said.

"Almost there. You'll see," he said.

Before I knew it, we were pulling up the hospital, just outside of the therapy building where I'd met him weeks before with brownies.

"Um..." I stammered.

Edward got his chair out and settled in, pulling his bag into his lap.

"Grab your stuff and follow me," he said.

I was still really confused but decided to just trust him, reached for my bag in the back seat and climbed out.

I walked behind Edward as he went towards the automatic doors.

"Edward, you're back!" Someone called from the front desk.

"Hey, Al, just visiting this afternoon. We'll be in the aquatic center. Dr. Stevens already gave me permission," he said. The guy, Al, just nodded and smiled.

I kept walking behind Edward as he made a few turns, finally reaching a big double door and pushing it open. I followed him in, surprised by the smell of chlorine that hit me.

"What...?" I asked.

"You said there were no pools in Forks. While that's mostly true, I happen to use this one quite frequently. It's heated," Edward explained.

There were low lights on, nothing too bright, and the ceiling was all glass skylights. The sky was dimming overhead, and between it and the lights that were on inside the pool, and despite the medical and therapy equipment all around, everything seemed ethereal and romantic.

"Edward, this is..."

"Good surprise?" He asked, hopeful.

"Great surprise," I smiled.

"You can, um, change in there," he said, pointing to a door marked Women.

"I'll just be in the men's room changing. I'll meet you out here when you're done," he said.

"Okay," I said softly, suddenly nervous. We were about to see more of each other than we ever had. The modesty of swimsuits was suddenly meaningless when I knew that it was just us, alone in this dimly lit pool.

I walked into the women's locker room and slipped out of my clothes, grateful that I'd shaved my legs and underarms earlier that morning.

I pulled on my one piece. It was solid black with a high neck, and the fabric went from solid to sheer mesh at the top. It wasn't my sexiest bathing suit, but it made me feel mature and attractive.

I slipped on the flip flops I had brought and grabbed my towel. I didn't think anyone would be coming in here, but I shoved my bag and clothes into one of the unlocked lockers in the room.

I stepped out just as Edward came out, and my breath caught at the site of him in swim trunks, his chest bare.

His muscles were so defined, probably a combination of working out like he did and having to constantly propel his chair. His legs, which I had never seen before, weren't quite as thick with muscle, but they weren't weak, either. They were covered in the same light brown hair as his arms.

"Ready?" He asked. I nodded.

"You can use those stairs. I have to use that," he said, pointing to a big chair that was connected to a pole from the ground. It went up and over the pool and looked like a crane.

I stepped to the stairs and put a toe in, delighted that it felt like a warm bath. I easily made my way in so that I was waist deep.

Edward lifted himself from his chair to the crane thing, then pressed a button above him. I watched as it automatically lifted him out and over the water before slowly lowering him to just above. He eased off of the chair and splashed into the water, tossing water on me. I'd pulled my hair into a ponytail to not get it wet, but I could see he wasn't going to let me get away with that.

He emerged, his hair soaked and water droplets sparkling in his eye lashes.

"Well, Miss Swan. You said you loved pools," he smiled.

"Yes, I did say that. Although I have to say, being in one with my shirtless boyfriend is making me love them all the more," I said, emboldened by the darkness, the water, my ever growing feelings for Edward.

He swam towards me, and in the water, watching him keep himself afloat with ease, we felt so equal. You'd never know that he couldn't use his legs when he glided through the water so effortlessly.

"I'm inclined to agree," he said, putting one arm up on the ledge of the pool and using the other to wrap around my waist, pulling me against him.

He dropped his other hand and leaned back so that he was propped against the side of the pool, the water up to his chest.

He pulled me to him again, and I wrapped my legs around his waist, my hands finding his shoulders.

We were staring at each other, the air around us quiet with just our breathing and the gentle slap of the water as it splashed the walls, echoing in the big, open room.

Edward tightened his hold, so that our chests were flushed.

"You're stunning," he whispered to me. I knew my face was splashed with water, and I was a little worried that my mascara was running, but there in his arms, I felt like a goddess.

Without another word, he leaned in to capture my mouth in a searing kiss. My hands went around to slide into his wet hair, and his roamed my bare back, sliding up and down my slick skin.

Our tongues met, colliding in pent up energy, like magnets desperate to touch. We both moaned as the apex of my legs met him, feeling the evidence of what this was doing to him.

"Edward," I moaned, breathing in as his mouth left mine and moved down to my neck. He sucked gently on my pulse point, sending waves of pleasure to every nerve in my body.

"So fucking gorgeous," he whispered against my skin, and it was kind of hot the way his language got dirty when things got heavy.

One hand stayed wrapped around me, keeping himself balanced and me tight to him.

His other hand slid up to my shoulder, his fingers gliding back and forth under the thin strap of my suit.

He kissed his way back up to my jaw, finding my mouth again as I braced one hand on the ledge of the pool and let the other slide low down his back.

I moved against him, feeling his hardness against the incredibly thin layer of my bathing suit, and my wetness had little to do with the pool water.

As Edward continued to kiss me, sucking my lips between his and gliding his tongue gently against mine, his hand slipped lower down my chest, out from under the straps.

We let go of our kiss, stopping to look at each other.

Without words, I knew what he was asking. I released my hand from his back and brought it out of the water, wrapping my fingers around his wrist.

Our gaze never faltered as I slid his hand down, so that he was cupping one breast.

My head fell back in pleasure as he used his thumb and fingers to kneed me, touching my sensitive peak.

His mouth latched onto my neck again, and I almost cried out when his hand left my breast. But quickly, he moved his fingers gently under the strap of my suit, dragging it down my shoulder so that he had access to my chest. He sucked on my collar bone as he continued to pull my suit down.

His fingers moved to the top of it, tugging it gently so that finally, he released my bare breast from the fabric.

The cool air hit and made me impossible more sensitive. My hands were buried in his hair as I leaned forward, clinging to him as his mouth found my peak. He sucked it in, swirled his tongue around it, and all the while I ground myself against him.

He kept sucking until my entire body was shaking, and just as I let go, let the sensation take over me, he brought his mouth up to mine again, capturing my breathy pleasure in his mouth.

I kept moving against him until I felt him pulse, felt him shake in my arms, joining me over the edge.

"Fuck," he whispered, letting go.

We slowed our movements, and he used his hand to gently caress me before pulling my suit back up into place.

"Is that what usually goes on in your physical therapy sessions?" I whispered with a smirk.

"Definitely not," he laughed back.

* * *

The next night, I was busy in the kitchen finishing the snacks I was making. I'd made more brownies for Edward, along with haystacks, and Oreo truffles. The others were all bringing dips, and my dad had left me money to order a few pizzas.

"Alright hon, I'm heading to work," my dad said as he stepped into the kitchen.

"Like my costume?" I asked, turning around for him. I was wearing black leggings and a giant orange sweatshirt with a jack-o-lantern face on it. My hair was down, and I had on a headband with a green bow on it.

"Very cute. Now you remember my rules, right?" He asked sternly.

"Hmm, lotsa beer, drugs, and tomfoolery?" I asked.

"Funny. But no. No misbehaving with your friends, and no making a giant mess in the house," he said. He knew there'd be none of what I'd suggested. I was a cop's daughter, not stupid.

"I know, dad. I promise, we'll be good. Don't forget these," I told him, handing him a Tupperware full of extra snacks. I even made him his own batch of his favorite, cheese sausage balls.

"You're too good to me, kiddo," he said.

Just as he was gathering the last of his stuff, there was a knock on the front door.

Pretzel whisked down the stairs at the sound, the little orange and black Halloween collar I got him jingling with all the bells on it as he padded through the house.

Dad went to open the door and we watched as all of my friends piled in.

"Bye, kids. Be good," he said to us all, before stepping out and closing the door behind him.

"Hey, y'all. Come in, come in," I motioned, leading them to the living room. "You can set the food in the kitchen. Pizza's on its way, and there are Cokes on ice in the cooler," I said.

After all the food was deposited and jackets were removed, I started to take in all of the costumes.

"Jeans and a t-shirt. So, you came as yourself?" I asked Edward.

"I'm Jason Street. From Friday Night Lights?" Edward said, wearing a grey t-shirt that said Dillon Panthers. "Seemed like the obvious choice. You know, crippled football player and all," he laughed. We were all silent for a few uncomfortable seconds.

"Mm, personally I'm more of a Coach Taylor man. He's daddy hot," Eric said, cutting the tension and making us all laugh.

"Ohh, speaking of daddy hot, your dad is a babe, Bella," Jessica said, causing me to snort in the sip of Coke I was taking.

"Gross," I wined once the fizz was out of my nose.

"I don't know, B. I kinda agree," Angela nodded.

"Oh, whatever. What are you guys supposed to be anyway?" I asked.

Angela had a red shirt with an N on it, with black leggings and red shoes. Jessica was in a blue shirt with snow flakes all over it, also in leggings and matching shoes.

"I'm Netflix," Angela smiled.

"And I'm Chill!" Jessica exclaimed excitedly.

"Not even a little bit," Eric snorted. He was in his usual outfit of a short sleeved patterned button down, and jeans as tight as he could get them. He had a full face of makeup, including bright pink lipstick, and a tiara on his head.

"Are you a toddler in a tiara?" I asked.

"No, Green Acres, I'm the homecoming queen. Since I was _robbed_ ," he said, leveling a glare at Rosalie.

"Hey, don't look at me. I didn't win, either," Rose laughed. "And I think Sheldon here was more upset than I was," she said, pointing to Emmett. Rosalie was in a knee length skirt, with brown tights, a button down sweater, and her glasses perched on her nose. Emmett was in khakis and a Flash t-shirt.

"Look, James and Victoria are nice enough, but we deserved to be king and queen," Emmett said.

"Sheldon and Amy, I love it!" I exclaimed, all of us ignoring Emmett's pouting. "You guys didn't want to be Howard and Bernadette?" I asked, looking at Alice and Jasper.

"No way," Alice said, wrinkling her nose. "Tell them who we are, Jazzy. Tell them," she said excitedly.

Jasper let out a deep sigh, and I realized he was in a black t-shirt, the sleeves rolled up, and black jeans to match.

"Nobody puts Baby in the corner," he said, he voice void of any enthusiasm.

"We're Dirty Dancing!" Alice exclaimed, twirling around in her light link tule skirt and matching tank top.

The rest of the night was filled with movies, taking turns handing out candy, and food. So. Much. Food.

By 10, we'd seen the last of the trick-or-treaters, and we were all in a sugar coma.

We had Hocus Pocus playing on the TV, all of us laying around the room. Eric was on the floor with Jessica, while Angela sat against it texting someone, presumably, Ben. Pretzel was snuggled in a ball on Eric's back.

Edward was in his usual spot on the couch, with my laying against him. Jasper was at the other end of the couch, Alice curled into his side, and Emmett was in the big recliner with Rose on top of him.

I looked around the room, the only light from the glow of the TV and the pumpkin string lights I'd put in the window, and I couldn't imagine feeling more content. I was with amazing people, on my favorite holiday, curled up against the boy I was falling desperately in love with. Happy Halloween, indeed.

* * *

 **For work, we are allowed to take our dogs with us on Halloween. My dog's name is Olive, so in honor of her, I am dressing as a martini. She will be dressed as a kissing booth. For a party this weekend, my husband and I are going as...Sheldon and Amy. Or, because he and I are both chunky, Fat Shamy.**

 **Tell me in your reviews what you plan to be for Halloween! I seriously love the holiday and hearing about costumes!**


	9. Chapter 9

**I absolutely loved hearing about all of yours and your families costumes. You all are so creative!**

 **Thank you, Chicsarah, for all that you do to make this better!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or its characters.**

* * *

"So, what are you going to do with all this free time you have now, Mr. Cullen?" I asked.

"Hmm, maybe this," he said, leaning in to kiss me, humming softly around my lips.

"And this," he continued, moving down to place his lips on my neck, stretched out and bared to him.

"Definitely this," he murmured, his voice low and husky as his hand lightly brushed over my breast, giving it a gentle kneed between his large fingers.

"I like that," I whimpered, scooting impossibly closer to him, his left arm wrapping around me to pull me in, his right crossed over his chest to touch me in his new favorite place to explore.

Our talking turned to hushed moans and only the sound of our breaths as our kissing intensified. We were laying on his bed, the house to ourselves until Alice got home from wherever she was and his parents got home from work. We didn't get a lot of alone time, so we had to make the best of every opportunity.

My hand roamed his hard chest, feeling the contours of every muscle, products of his hard exercise and the never-ending work he did just to move every day. Sometimes, if I let myself stop and think about it, it made my admire him so much more. To know that he had to work so much harder just to get through his everyday life was incredible. For as much as he joked about his disability, one thing he never did was complain.

"Mmm, baby," he said against my ear as my hand traveled down his stomach and up under his t-shirt.

I let my fingers trail softly into the patch of hair on his lower abdomen that led under the button of his jeans.

I stopped and looked up at him, seeking permission to continue.

His eyes, blue green, were dark with the fire of his need. He nodded lightly, encouraging me to continue.

I popped the button on his jeans, then eased down the zipper, never breaking eye contact with him.

Finally, I looked down to see him bulging hard and big under his boxers.

I slipped my hand over him, cupping him through the material and wrapping my fingers around him.

The sound of his low groan was the sexiest thing I'd ever heard, and I could feel it affecting me everywhere.

"Bellaaa," he mumbled, just as I began pumping him over his boxers.

"Edward! Bella!" We heard just as the front door slammed shut.

"Shit," Edward said, and we jumped away from each other fast. Edward zipped himself back into his pants, and I grabbed my book bag off of the floor, tossing it on the bed and opening it, desperately grabbing something, anything from it.

Edward was able to sit himself up, his legs stretched out in front of him, as he grabbed the TV remote and turned it on.

"Hey guys," Alice said as she popped into the doorway. "Whatcha doin?" She asked.

She took in my messy ponytail and Edward's flushed face, a pillow situated over his lap.

"Studying," I said at the same time Edward said "watching TV."

We all three looked at the television, and Alice gave a knowing look at us both.

"Okay, well, mom and dad are on the way home with pizza, so come out when you're...done," she laughed, turning and walking away.

"Seriously?" I whispered. "The Golden Girls?" I nodded to the TV.

"What? It's the channel I had it on last night. Friends was on then," he shrugged.

"Yeah, yeah, Betty White," I mumbled.

* * *

The next day, we were all sitting at lunch making weekend plans. We were halfway into November now. The football season had ended, and Forks High had, unfortunately, lost in the first round of the playoffs.

The guys had been bummed, but they were all glad to be done with practices and games. Edward, for as much as he loved helping coach, was wearing himself thin in the last few weeks of the season. He had to move his physical therapy sessions around to work around coaching, which meant leaving during his study hall to go during the morning on Thursday's and going again on Saturday mornings. But the late night games on Fridays, along with daily practices, where giving him little in the way of free time.

Luckily, the first nine weeks had passed and we were done with our biography projects. We'd both gotten an A, and for this second nine weeks of school, we were doing projects on our own.

We all had a lot more free time, but we lived in a town with little to do to fill it.

"We could go to the movies in PA," Jessica suggested.

"We did that last week. And also, I'm kind of broke right now," Angela replied.

"Same. I need all my money for Christmas," Rosalie said.

"Aww, babe, all I need is your love for Christmas," Emmett told her.

"That's sweet, but my family won't be as pleased with that gift," she laughed.

"We could go to the mall and play games at Dave & Busters again," Alice suggested.

"Still requires money," Angela said.

"True," Alice sighed in defeat.

"Y'all, what if we go volunteer?" I asked, an idea forming in my head.

"Come again, Forrest Gump?" Eric asked.

"At the animal shelter! The vet where we took Pretzel has a shelter, too. I was reading on the poster they had there that they were always looking for weekend volunteers to come walk the dogs and play in the kitten room," I explained.

"Ohh, a kitten room sounds fun!" Alice said excitedly.

"I could use the exercise. I'll walk some dogs," Jessica shrugged.

"I'll go. Maybe there will be some puppies," Rose smiled.

"I'm down," Edward nodded.

We looked expectantly at Jasper and Emmett.

"Fine, whatever. But I'm not cuddling no kitten. We are men," Emmett said, pounding his chest and nodding at Jasper.

Jasper just rolled his eyes but agreed to come.

"Ugh, fine," Eric said as we all turned to him. "But I am NOT scooping poop."

The next day, we all met at the shelter at noon. Edward had come to get me, and the others had all come in various carpools.

"Hi," I said to the lady at the front desk.

"Oh, hi dear. The vet's office is closed today," she said.

"Oh, we aren't here for a vet. We were hoping to volunteer today," I told her.

"All of you?" She asked, taking in our group. We had all decided to wear older clothes, nothing that we'd worry about messing up.

Eric wasn't even wearing makeup, and looked sleepy and none too excited to be here.

"Yes, ma'am. Wherever you need us. We can walk the dogs, play with the kittens, whatever you need," I told her.

"Wow. Well, okay! Let me just call a few people to the front and we will get you some tasks," she said.

As she stood up, I noticed a little streak behind her.

"Clara!" I said excitedly.

Edward's head popped up, looking as the tiny dog in the wheelchair came running around the counter to us.

"Hi, baby girl!" I said, scooping her up carefully and setting her in Edward's lap.

She jumped up on her back wheels and licked his face.

"I forgot how cute she was," Edward said, as the others reached down to pet her too.

"Oh, she's such a ham. I wish someone would take her home. She deserves a loving family," one of the other volunteers said as she walked up to great us.

"So I hear you kids are here to help out today?" She asked.

We all nodded.

"That's wonderful. I must say, it's not common to get a group this large of volunteers, but we are happy to have the help. Now, do any of you have a preference towards cats?" She asked.

Jessica, Eric, and Alice all raised their hands.

"Great! We have a cat room right that way, and we love for the cats and kittens to get some play time and interaction. We have several toys for them, so feel free to play as much as you can with them. We will send someone in there with you to help you remove them from their crates."

"Now, anyone particularly fond of puppies?" She asked.

We all were, but Rose's eyes lit up at that and she stepped forward.

"Fantastic. We have a six week old litter in the back, and its bath day. Would you want to help bathe each one?" She asked.

"Oh my gosh, yes!" She squealed.

"Great, I'll help with that!" Emmett said.

"Actually, I was kind of hoping you two," she said, nodding to him and Jasper, "would be willing to help bathe the bigger dogs," she said.

"Oh, uh, sure," Emmett said.

"Have either of you ever bathed a dog before?" The lady, Ms. Tori, asked.

"Uhh," Jasper stammered.

"Oh, don't worry. It's easy. The big ones love it, too," she said.

"Why don't you help with the puppy baths?" Ms. Tori asked Angela.

"Sounds good," Angela smiled.

"Great! Now, you two," Ms. Tori said, looking at Edward and me. Clara was still in Edward's lap, letting him pet her head. "You both seem particularly fond of our Clara here. Would you want to work with her today? She has to have a bath, as well, and some physical therapy training," Ms. Tori said.

"Bella?" Edward asked.

"Of course. That would be great," I said.

"Wonderful! Once you are all done with your volunteer stations, you are welcome to go out back and ask the walkers if they want a break. We have over 30 dogs here, and they all need walks pretty regularly."

We all branched off into our separate volunteer groups, each going with someone else from the staff, Edward and I following Ms. Tori. Edward sat Clara down, and she followed right along with us, her front little legs carrying her down the hallway, her tiny wheels keeping up with Edward and me.

Ms. Tori showed us to a deep tub where we'd be bathing her, along with a drying station. She showed us the shampoos she uses, as well as a lotion she applies to Clara's tummy to keep her from getting rashes from her chair.

"Clara loves her baths. We use this opportunity as water therapy to work her spine and legs. The warm water relaxes her and she enjoys the exercises," Ms. Tori explained.

"The pool exercises are my favorite, too," Edward mumbled, and when I looked down at him wide-eyed, he winked at me.

Looks like Clara wasn't the only ham.

* * *

Two hours later, Clara was bathed, exercised, blow-dried, and back in her chair. She was running happily out in the grass as we gathered to help the others leash the dogs for their walks.

Rose and Angela looked as fresh as when they'd started, though Edward and I both looked and smelled liked we been bathing a small but mighty little dog.

Eric, Jessica, and Alice all came out to the yard. They had all worn dark colors and were covered head to toe in cat hair.

But it was Jasper and Emmett who had us laughing when they walked up. Both of them were soaked, wet t-shirts clinging to their bodies. Even their hair was wet.

"Who actually got bathed?" Edward asked with a laugh.

"Yeah, yeah, you try bathing an 80 pound dog," Emmett grumbled.

"Alright folks, thanks for taking some of these guys for their walk," Ms. Tori called.

We followed her to the kennels, each housing two or three dogs. She helped us get leashes on them, and each of us took two. Edward was able to walk one of the older dogs who moved slowly with him around the track.

After a few laps each, we took them to the gated open field area and let them off the leashes so they could run and play.

It was cool out, but surprisingly the sun was shining and there was no rain. We had fun spending the afternoon chasing the dogs, playing fetch with them, and generally giving them the attention they needed.

But by late afternoon, the shelter was getting ready to clean up and close for the day, and we were all exhausted.

We grabbed our jackets from the lobby and were about to leave when I felt a tiny foot on mine. I looked down to see Clara standing beside me, looking up with her big brown eyes.

"Hey, sweetie," I said, bending to pick her up the way we'd been instructed, with one hand supporting her chest and the other between her legs lifting her so that her back wouldn't bend.

"Say bye to Edward," I cooed, leaning her down so that she could lick him across the nose.

"Bye, little girl," Edward said, scratching her head.

I set her down and she followed us to the door, looking out sadly as we walked away from the building. I had to stop looking back at her or I'd never get to leave.

"Alright fam, it's been real. But I stink and I want a hot shower," Eric said as we walked to the cars.

"Same," the others agreed.

"You guys want to go home and shower and meet back up at the house? My parents won't care. We can watch movies and order some pizza?" Edward suggested.

We all agreed that it sounded fun, so we planned to get back to Edward and Alice's house at seven.

Edward and I were quiet and tired on the ride home.

"That was so much fun," I said, happily.

"Yeah, it was," Edward said, though his voice betrayed him.

"Then why do you sound so sad?" I asked.

"I hate leaving her," he admitted.

"I do, too, Edward. I wish we could take her. She's just so sweet."

"She is. She's special. She doesn't deserve to have to live her life confined to a chair, but she doesn't let it ever slow her down. Is it weird that I'm inspired by a ten pound dog?" He asked with a humorless chuckle.

"No, not at all. But I wish you gave yourself as much credit as you give her," I said softly.

"Bella, I..."

"I know. You've been working on it and trying, but sometimes you slip up. I know you don't mean to, but it hurts us all when you put yourself down," I told him. "You never let your life confined to a chair slow you down, not physically at least. Why should you let it slow you down mentally? Emotionally?" I finished, just as he pulled into my driveway and put the car in park.

He angled himself towards me, hands still gripping the wheel.

"You're right. I know you are. But I can promise you, it hasn't slowed me down emotionally," he said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I mean that if anything, I've learned to identify my emotions sooner. I've learned to let them overcome me and not be afraid. Not be scared to feel," he said.

"What...what do you feel?" I asked, so quiet I wasn't sure he heard me.

"I feel...like I lo-"

Edward was cut off by the sound of my dad's car horn blowing as he pulled in the driveway beside us. We looked up to see my dad smiling and waving to us, and whatever moment we were having in the car was officially gone.

"You'd better go get freshened up. I'll see you in a little bit," Edward said, leaning in to kiss my forehead.

"Okay," I said sadly, desperately wishing we could get back the moment.

"I'll see you in a few hours, pretty girl," he told me.

"Bye, Edward," I smiled, climbing out of the car.

* * *

An hour later, I was showered and had my hair dry and straight. I didn't bother putting on any makeup.

Alice had text the others and me in a group text and told us to wear pajamas and we'd have a pajama party, so I pulled on some leggings and a long sleeved t-shirt.

She'd text the girls separately and asked if we wanted to spend the night with her. I smiled to myself at the potential that had for Edward and me.

I walked downstairs and found dad in the kitchen.

"Hey, kid," Dad said as he finished putting together a sandwich. I'd already told him I was having pizza at the Cullen's.

"Hey, dad. Um, would it be okay if I spent the night there?" I asked. "With Alice, I mean," I was quick to amend.

Dad turned to me, leveling a glare and raising an eyebrow.

"You think I was born yesterday?" He asked, turning to sit at the kitchen table, a glass of iced tea in one hand and his plate in the other.

"Rose, Jess, and Angela are staying, too. I promise, nothing sketchy," I said, sitting at the table across from him.

Pretzel climbed up in my lap, nudging my face demanding that I show him some attention.

"What about him? He always sleeps at your feet," dad said, nodding to Pretzel and taking a big bite of his food.

"He won't care if I'm there or not. Doesn't stop him from making the bed his. Besides, you can leave your door opened and he can come cuddle you," I said with a laugh.

"Mmph," dad grumbled, his mouth full. He chewed for a minute and then swallowed, looking up at me pointedly.

"Look, Bells. I trust you. And I think I trust Edward. If I let you stay there tonight, you better behave. I might be old, but I'm not a fool. I know what could happen between you two."

"Dad, I promise you can trust me. I'm not saying that our relationship won't come to that," I said honestly, and his eyes snapped up. "But it's not there yet."

"Bella," he said, pained.

"Dad. I'm 18. I'm an adult. And I'll be safe. When the time is right, which it isn't tonight. Okay?" I said.

"Okay," he said after a long beat of silence.

"I love you, Dad. Please trust that you and mom taught me well. You taught me to protect myself and my heart. And I already let it get broken once," I said.

"Yeah, and I still want to fly to Florida and waterboard that little punk into the ocean floor," dad said gruffly.

"Don't worry about him. He's the past. Edward is my future," I smiled.

* * *

Shortly after talking with dad, I was ready to go. I walked back down the stairs with a bag of clean clothes, a tooth brush, and my phone charger.

Dad was asleep in his recliner, Pretzel curled in a tight ball right on top of his stomach. I took a few quick pictures of it before kissing my dad's cheek and slipping out the door.

I was the last to arrive at the Cullen's, noticing a bunch of cars all already parked around the driveway.

I walked in, not bothering to knock, since I knew everyone was there. I dropped my bag by the door where all the shoes were, slipping off my flats and padding through the house.

The entire group was in the kitchen, standing around the island and talking to Edward's parents.

"Hi, Bella!" Mrs. Cullen called from behind the counter.

"Bella?" Edward said, turning in his chair to see me, a smile brightening his face.

"Bella!" The rest called in unison, making me laugh.

"Hey, guys. Sorry I'm late. Pretzel was doing something cute and I had to take pictures," I explained, and received several eye rolls.

"You're just in time," Edward said, pulling me down to his lap as soon as I made my way to him.

The others slid into chairs at the table or sat at the island as Mr. Cullen set five large pizza boxes down in front of us.

"Who wants a drink?" Alice called from the opened refrigerator, grabbing sodas and bottles of water as we all called out what we wanted.

Once we were all finally seated-I moved to a chair because I didn't want to make everyone uncomfortable with our PDA-we all ate and talked about our day.

Mr. and Mrs. Cullen had to go into their office for paperwork that morning, and then said they'd spend the afternoon taking advantage of the rare sun and spending it outside walking around Port Angeles and buying Christmas gifts.

"Ohh, what'd you get me? A new set of wheels?" Edward asked.

We all fell silent, and if he was waiting on a laugh, it wasn't coming.

"Edward," Mrs. Cullen said, her eyes crinkling with sadness, her smile melting into the most pained, helpless expression I had ever seen. It was in that moment that I saw just how much his injury hurt his parents. Seeing their child suffer, the pain he'd been through. I imagined that the only people it was more difficult for, aside from Edward, were his mom and dad.

"Sorry," he mumbled, and the table stayed silent for a few beats longer.

"Mom, you should have seen the kittens we played with today!" Alice said, breaking the tension as she, Jessica, and Eric talked about the litter of tuxedo cats they'd cuddled.

"I really didn't mean to do that," Edward whispered to me. "I'm trying. I promise, Bella. I'm trying," he told me.

"I know," I whispered back, clutching his hand in mine tightly under the table.

* * *

After dinner, Edward's parents retreated upstairs to leave us to our movie. They told us everyone was welcome to stay the night but no coed sleeping. They looked pointedly at the three couples in the room when they said that.

We put in one of the Redbox movies Emmett had picked up and piled around on the blankets, pillows, and furniture of the giant main room.

Edward and I were snuggled into an oversized chair together with a blanket over us. The others were in various stages of cuddling on the giant sectional couch and love-seat, or on the floor in one large snuggle puddle.

Around 11, a third of the way into our second movie, with empty soda cans and bowls of half eaten popcorn all around us, Edward and I realized we were the only two still awake.

"Hey," he whispered to me.

"Hey," I said back, looking into his eyes and smiling as I reached my hand out from under the blanket to run my hands through his hair.

Without another word, he leaned in to capture my lips, his tongue sliding through to meet mine.

"Want to go to my room?" He asked when we broke apart.

"But your parents..." I started.

"Said no coed _sleeping_. We won't be sleeping," he murmured, his lips finding my neck.

"Oh," I breathed.

As quietly as we could, we climbed out of the chair. I rolled Edward's wheelchair over and watched as he was able to lift out of the recliner and into it with relative ease. We thought we'd ruined it when we'd had to slide the ottoman away for him to get up, but no one stirred.

Soundlessly as possible, made our way down the hall to Edward's room, closing and locking the door behind us. The house was quiet, but we were far enough towards the back of the house to go unheard.

Once we were in the room, nothing but the soft glow of the full moon shining through the window, I walked towards Edward. Before he could move to get on the bed, I threw a leg over him and slid into his lap, straddling him so that my legs were over the back of the wheels of his chair.

Without words, I leaned in to kiss him again, feeling the familiar pull in my lower belly as his tongue worked against mine.

Edward's hands slid down my back, reaching the hem of my shirt, his long fingers sliding underneath and rubbing my bare back. He moved to my sides, eliciting a giggle as he touched my ticklish spots.

His mouth moved to my neck, his hands moving up further so that he was playing with the strap of my bra at my back.

"Take it off," I whispered into the dark.

He backed his head away, looking at me to make sure. I nodded, lifting my arms so that he could pull my shirt up and over my head.

Slowly, he eased it up, and I bent each arm to pull out of it.

Edward leaned in to kiss my chest, leaving a hot trail from my collar bone to the edge of my bra.

As he kissed, his hands reached around behind me and worked the hook of my bra undone. The straps fells down my arms, and I reached forward to remove it, leaving myself bare.

I reached down to the hem of his shirt, tugging it gently up. He leaned forward a bit to get it up from behind his back, helping me guide it over his head.

It got stuck on his face, and we giggled together softly once we finally got it off.

And then, our mouths connected again, our chests flush against each other's, my skin igniting everywhere he touched.

Edward's hands slid between us, cupping me and rolling my hardened nipples between his fingers.

His mouth left mine and he bent, capturing my hardened peak in his mouth, swirling his tongue around and driving me wild.

He switched breasts, using his hand on one and his mouth on the other, as I moved against him.

"Baby, can you turn around on my lap?" He asked.

I nodded, lifting off of him and turning around so that I was seated with my back against his chest.

He put his mouth on my neck and recaptured both of my breasts in his hands, kneading them as I arched my back out.

One hand remained on my chest as the other slid down my stomach, tickling gently on the way down.

His right hand met the waistband of my leggings, stroking his fingers back and fourth.

"Please," I whisper-moaned.

At that, his hand dipped under, sliding past my panties until he reached the smooth wetness at the apex of my legs.

"Oh my gosh," I groaned, his finger finding my most sensitive spot and rubbing soft circles.

With one hand on my breast, one hand rubbing me tenderly below, and his mouth on my neck, I was moments away from ecstasy.

"Come for me, my love," he whispered in my ear, rubbing me faster, pushing me over the edge.

"Fuckkkkk," I moaned, my legs quivering as I came hard.

"That was so hot," Edward whispered.

"Can I...return the favor?" I asked.

"You, um, kind of already did," Edward stammered.

I turned to look back at him in surprise.

"It's just, you were rubbing against so much, and I guess I'm, you know, more sensitive there now," he shrugged. "I'm sorry," he said.

"What on earth are you sorry for? That was the single hottest experience of my life," I told him.

* * *

The next morning, I woke up early. Edward and I had stayed in his room cuddling for a while, but decided it would be best for me to not be there when his parents woke up.

I'd gone out to the living room to see Emmett on the big couch, Jasper on the love-seat, and Eric in the chair.

As quietly as I could, I'd made my way upstairs and set up a pallet on the floor beside Jessica and Angela. Rosalie and Alice were in the bed.

I slept fitfully and uncomfortably, and by 7:30 the next morning, I could no longer deny my bladder.

I used the restroom and walked downstairs to see if Edward was awake.

All of the boys were knocked out, and Edward's mom was quietly moving around the kitchen in her long robe.

"Good morning, Bella," she whispered softly.

"Good morning," I replied.

"There's coffee and hot tea if you'd like," she offered, stirring a bowl of batter.

"Oh, thank you," I told her.

Once I had a steaming cup of coffee in my hand, I took a seat at the island counter to watch her work.

"How'd you sleep?" She asked.

"Okay. The floor was a little tough, but I managed," I smiled.

"Good, good," she said, moving to the fridge.

"Mrs. Cullen?" I asked.

"Yes?" She asked, bringing out a carton of eggs.

"Does Edward still do that a lot around you guys? You know, joke about his wheelchair?" I asked.

"Not nearly as much as he used to, but yes, sometimes," she said sadly, setting everything down on the counter to stop and look at me.

"Has he been to any kind of therapy? Like, for his mental health? To cope with what happened?" I asked.

"He did a few doctor mandated sessions right after, but he assured us he didn't need it, and we couldn't force him," she said.

"I understand. I just wonder if it could be good for him. Or at least, if we could find a way for him to accept things more. Maybe be happier with himself," I said.

"What did you have in mind?" She asked.

"Well...how would you and Mr. Cullen feel about adopting a dog?"

* * *

 **Clara is based on my sister's dog, a black and tan dachshund named Clara. She went paralyzed at random one day and had to have surgery on her spine. She is not in a wheelchair, but she hasn't ever fully regained use of her back legs. She can walk and run, but she wobbles and loses her balance sometimes. It never slows her down. She is the sweetest, goofiest little baby.**

 **Do you all have any pets? Tell me about them!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi everyone! I apologize for the long delay between chapters. I hope to be able to get them out quicker than this.**

 **Thank you to my beta, Chicsarah, for making this readable.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or these characters.**

* * *

"Bells, where's the spray?" Dad asked, coming into the kitchen as I pushed the mop around on the linoleum.

"I set it on the table with a rag," I nodded to the kitchen table.

"Ah, thanks," Dad said, grabbing the bottle and leaving the room.

We were cleaning up the house, something that desperately needed to be done lately. With Dad putting in overtime as the holiday season picked up and me in school, we had neglected to keep our living space clean. We each did our own laundry during the week, but the house was long overdue for a scrub down.

Dad had managed to get today and tomorrow off for Thanksgiving, and we were out of school for the holiday. We decided today that we'd tackle the house so we could enjoy the rest of our time off this week.

We didn't have any big plans for Thanksgiving. I was a decent cook, but an entire holiday meal was not something I was ready to attempt, and seemed unnecessary for the two of us. Instead, we were going to the Lodge for their big turkey dinner that they did every year. Dad had made reservations for three—Edward was joining us.

Edward's family was having their own celebration for lunch on Thanksgiving, with his grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins all coming in from around the state to eat. I was invited, but I'd opted not to go this year. It seemed kind of soon to meet all of the family, and I really did want to spend the day with my dad.

We were going to have a quiet day watching football and then go out for a good dinner that night.

As I finished mopping, I heard the vacuum turn on and saw an orange flash bolt through the house and towards the stairs. Pretzel was not a fan.

Dad and I finished the cleaning an hour later, and the house looked better than it had in months. I was proud of us. Neither of us wanted to cook, so we ordered a pizza and settled in for the night.

Later that night, I laid in bed on the phone with Edward.

"Are you excited for Friday?" He asked with a laugh.

"Actually, kind of," I said. "Even though it's crazy and the mass consumerism is kind of ridiculous after we all just gave thanks, I love the thrill of it. My mom and I used to go every year. It's going to be weird without her this year," I sighed.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. Alice will keep us all busy, though. She has a game plan that includes about six different stores that open at various times somewhere in the early morning," he groaned.

"Is she buying all this stuff for herself?" I asked.

"Oh no, no way. She never shops much for herself, but she's the queen of Christmas presents. She has been planning gifts for everyone since last year. And she's been scouring the ads for weeks to plan. Some of them she is going to get tomorrow night at the places that open on Thanksgiving Day. It's all a bit ridiculous, but it's fun. I, uh, didn't get to go last year. So this year will be fun," he said.

"Yeah. Though I don't know how much help Angela, Eric, and Jess will be. Eric and Jess are going to be all over Sephora, and Angela will probably just want to sit at Starbucks and people watch," I said.

"That's fine," Edward chuckled. "Alice is only going to assign tasks to the ones she's done this with before. She can't leave any room for error," he said. "But at least we get to go have breakfast at Waffle House after. I've been missing those hash browns since football season ended."

"Pssh, I'm going to make sure I have leftovers to eat. When your mom found out that dressing is my favorite food in the entire world, she promised me a pan of hers. Don't think I won't have a baggy of it in my purse for the shopping trip," I laughed. Mrs. Cullen was apparently famous for her cornbread dressing. She made homemade bread, biscuits, and cornbread to mix into it, and it was seasoned with spices and drippings from the turkey. It sounded like perfection, but when she gave me the recipe I knew I wouldn't be making it anytime soon. So she promised to make me some extra. That woman was amazing. And not just for her culinary skills.

"My mom's dressing is honestly my favorite thing about her," Edward joked.

"Whatever, your mom is an angel on earth," I said. I recalled our conversation a few weeks prior, and the couple we've had since then. The secret visit to the shelter she made with me last week. The discussions she'd promised to have with Mr. Cullen. Nothing was set in stone yet, but things were looking promising.

"She is, indeed. Which is why Alice is making you and me stand in line for a new tablet for her for Christmas. At 5 am. In the cold," he said.

"Ugh," I groaned.

"Don't worry, love. You'll have a warm lap to sit on," he said, and I could almost hear his wink behind the phone.

"I wish I had my warm boyfriend here now to cuddle," I sighed.

"That would be nice. To be in your room with you, in your bed. Mmm, perfect," he said sleepily.

"I wish," I whispered softly.

"I just wish I could see your room," he replied quietly, sadly.

"Me too," I mumbled.

We were both silent for a few beats before almost simultaneously yawning.

"Tomorrow is a busy day for you. Why don't you get some rest?" I said to him.

Since tomorrow was Thursday, his physical therapy appointment had been moved to today. I knew he was tired from that, and he was already kind of emotionally wiped in preparation for tomorrow. He didn't seem to want to admit it, but he was nervous to see all of his family. Some of them he hadn't seen since before the accident, and he was braced for their discomfort around him. I just hoped no one made him feel less after seeing him in his wheelchair. He'd come so far these past few months, and even if he was just getting better about not expressing his lack of self-worth, I did think he was truly, mentally healing more. I didn't want anything to set him back.

"Okay, sweetheart. Have a good night. I'll see you tomorrow evening," he said. We were both excited because like a few weeks ago, we were all sleeping over at the Cullen's so that we could get up and go shopping early the next day. I hoped that meant we'd get a bit of time to ourselves.

"Goodnight, Edward."

"Goodnight, Bella."

The next day, I was showered and dressed and ready to head to dinner. Edward was meeting us there, so I was just waiting on dad.

The lodge was nice, but not overly so. It was cold out, though, so I wore black fleece lined leggings and a burgundy long sleeved cotton dress. The ground was damp with the rain from the night before, so I put on some ankle high tan boots.

Dad came down the stairs, and I had to reign in my shock at his appearance. Usually on his off days, he work untucked polos or t-shirts with jeans. At most, I expected khakis and a belt for tonight. But I was not prepared for black dress slacks with a white button down and a tie.

"Dad, you look...nice," I finished lamely. It was just the lodge. I'd never seen him dress like this for just the lodge. Or anywhere for that matter.

"Thanks, kid. So do you," he said. He looked nervous, his eyes flitting around the room.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

"Who's that?" I asked.

"I, uh, don't know. Why don't you answer it?" He prompted.

I guess he figured it was Edward or someone, because cop dad was usually more cautious about strangers at the door.

"Oooo-kay," I replied.

I walked to the door slowly, glancing back at my immobile father.

When I turned back and opened the door, I was wholly unprepared for who was waiting on the other side.

"Mom?" I all but screamed in her beautiful face, smiling ear to ear with a grinning Phil behind her.

"Happy Thanksgiving, baby girl!" She said excitedly, holding out her arms to me.

"Oh my gosh!" I said, lurching forward and wrapping my arms around her, taking in her smell, realizing just how much I'd missed her.

"I missed you," I whispered, tears leaking.

"I missed you, my darling," she whispered, her hand softly stroking my long hair.

"How did you...when did you...how?" I stammered as I let go to give her some room.

"It was all your dad. He suggested a visit. I knew he wanted to spend the holidays with you, and so did we," she said, motioning to Phil behind her. "So we decided we'd come visit. We are only here for tonight. Our flight leaves at 3 am tomorrow morning for Phoenix," she confirmed a little sadly. I looked at her, confused and she continued.

"We are flying back there to have Thanksgiving with Phil's family tomorrow before we go back to Jacksonville," she explained.

"But I get you for at least tonight," I said.

"You do, my love. You do."

"Well come in, come in," I said, ushering them through the doors.

We spent the hour before dinner talking. I showed her my room, and she smiled to herself as she took in the old house where she'd once lived, so many years ago. It hadn't changed much, probably more so in the few months I'd been there than any before.

She asked about Edward, and I told her he was meeting us for dinner. She seemed genuinely excited to meet him.

My dad and Phil talked in the kitchen. They'd always surprised us with their friendship as there were no ill feelings between the three of them. My parents fell out of love as quickly as they'd fallen into it, and other than the part about me going with her, I think my dad had mostly been relieved when she left. They'd remained civil for my sake and over the years had even become friends again, realizing that their chemistry as humans was always meant to be platonic. But both of them always assured me that they were beyond grateful for whatever brought them together romantically, however briefly, because it gave them me.

"Our reservation is at seven so we'd better get going," Dad said.

"You guys want to ride with us?" I asked my mom and Phil.

"Sure, works for me," Phil replied.

I opted to let Phil ride in the front of my dad's truck while my mom and I climbed into the back seat.

We talked the entire way to the restaurant, her cool hands holding mine and her chatter making my heart full. I wished they could stay longer, but I was so grateful for the time with her now.

When we pulled up the the lodge, my dad's nerves from earlier seemed to resurface. I'd thought maybe it was because of the surprise, or even just seeing my mom again, but he seemed unfazed by her.

We got out of the car and stood in front of the busy restaurant, looking around for Edward's silver Corolla.

"You guys can go on in. I'll wait for him out here," I said.

"I, uh, am waiting on someone, too," Dad said. I turned to him, my eyebrow raised.

"I didn't realize we had anyone else joining us," I said.

"I didn't want you to make a stink about it, but I thought it was probably time y'all met..." he said, before looking behind me. I turned to see who was walking up in the heals I could already hear clacking across the asphalt parking lot.

"Charlie," she said, stepping in front of him. He leaned in to kiss her cheek softly.

"Hi, hon," he told her.

"Bella, this is—"

"Sue? I mean, Mrs. Clearwater?" I corrected.

"Hi, Bella," she smiled warmly.

Dad looked confused between us.

"Dad, she's worked at the station with you since I was little. Of course I remember her," I said, rolling my eyes. Dad used to take me to the station with him often when he got called into work during my summer visits. Sue Clearwater was the receptionist there and had been for years. She used to sneak me candy from her desk when dad wasn't looking.

"Oh, right, yeah," Dad said.

"Sue!" Mom said excitedly behind me.

"Renee, so good to see you again! You look wonderful," Sue said honestly.

"You do, too. I had no idea this was a thing," mom said, eyes going between dad and Sue.

"Makes two of us," I mumbled. I wasn't mad at dad's choice. Just that I didn't know about it.

"Bells, I wanted to tell you. I did. But you've been caught up with your own love life and well, we work together. We weren't trying to make it that obvious," Dad explained.

"I get it. I'm happy for you both," I said truthfully.

"Speaking of your love life, where's that boyfriend of yours?" Mom asked. I saw the headlights of his car turning into the Lodge then.

"He's here," I smiled. "You guys go in. I'll wait on him," I said.

The four of them walked into the restaurant as I stood on the sidewalk, watching my breath in the cold, stuffing my hands in my coat pockets. Edward opened his door, folding out his chair and easing himself over into it.

He reached back into his car, grabbing something and then laying it across his lap.

He moved around to find the dip in the sidewalk so he could roll onto it and then came forward towards me. He looked perfect in khaki pants and a navy blue button down shirt, tucked in neatly. His hair was gelled, and I could smell his incredibly clean scent when he got close.

"Hey, beautiful," he said.

"Hey, yourself," I told him, leaning down to kiss him, breathing him in.

"Okay, before we go in, you should know that it's not just the three of us tonight," I started.

"I know," he smiled.

"You do?"

"Yep. Your dad let me in on the surprise a few days ago when I was over at your house. He said your mom and step-dad were flying in for dinner with us," he smiled.

"Ugh, you sneak," I grinned. "Well, dad brought his girlfriend, too," I said.

"I suspected he might," Edward nodded.

"You knew about that, too?!" I screeched.

"Not really but I suspected. Your dad kind of slipped up and mentioned making a reservation for six. When I asked him, he back pedaled. Then he took a phone call not long after and I heard him mention a woman's name," Edward shrugged.

"Well, aren't you just a regular Sherlock Holmes," I said.

"Oh, did you think all of these were for you?" He asked, nodding to his lap. He had three red roses, each separately wrapped in cellophane with a ribbon.

"Laying it on thick, huh?"

"First impressions are important," he said as we walked to the door. He reached for the handle and opened it so that could walk in ahead of him.

"Well, it's how you got me," I winked.

He chuckled behind me and followed me into the warm restaurant.

We found my parents with Phil and Sue, all standing near the hostess stand.

"Hey, do we have a table?" I asked, stepping in front of mom while Edward remained back behind her.

"Well they had a large booth available, but your father insisted we needed a table, so we are waiting," she sighed. "I don't know why a booth wouldn't work. It's packed. We are going to be waiting forever for a table," she said loudly.

"Mom, it's okay. It's fine," I urged, willing her not to make a scene. I knew why dad insisted we needed a table and chairs, not a booth. And Edward, who was behind her and heard the entire exchange, also knew. And now he had to meet her and make her realize why we weren't already seated.

"Mom, um, this is Edward. My boyfriend," I said, gesturing behind her. She turned to see him, her face morphing into unconcealed shock.

She looked back at me, then again down at Edward.

Edward cleared his throat, regaining the composure that had fallen a little at her critical and surprised look. He reached his hand up to her.

"Hello, Mrs. Dwyer. It's nice to meet you," he said politely. I could see Phil behind mom, looking nervous. My dad looked pissed off as he glared at mom. Sue looked uncomfortable.

"Hello," my mom said, holding her hand out to him and barely grasping it to shake it.

"Hey folks, sorry for your wait. Your table is ready," I heard, turning to see a young girl dressed in slacks and a button down, ready to lead us to the table.

We walked silently behind her, dad and Sue leading the way with mom and Phil behind them. Edward and I were last, neither of us speaking as he navigated his way through other tables to get to ours, which was, of course, in the middle of the restaurant.

I reached for a chair at the end of the table, pulling it out of the way for Edward to wheel his chair up. The hostess, bless her, came and took it from me to move it from the table.

I sat beside Edward, my dad beside me. That put Sue across from him, with Phil beside her and my mom at the end, across from Edward. Perfect.

The waitress came up then, taking our drink orders and letting us know that tonight, there were no menus and everyone got the standard plate of Thanksgiving food.

"Sorry you have to eat this twice," I mumbled to Edward. He grinned and shrugged.

"Thanksgiving's my favorite. Truly, I don't mind. But, just don't leave me if I get a little thick around the middle," he said.

"I'm not going anywhere," I told him back, and for a few beats we stopped, staring into each other's eyes.

"So, Edward," we heard my mom say, and we both looked up at her. "Tell me more about yourself," she said, reaching for the glass of water that had already been on the table when we sat down.

"Oh, um, well, I'm a senior at Forks High with Bella. My dad is a doctor and my mom is a pharmacist. They run a practice together here in town. I, uh, have a sister, Alice, who is two years younger than me. She plays volleyball for the school," he stammered, not really sure what details she wanted.

"What about you? Do you play any sports?" She asked.

"Mom!" I exclaimed.

"What, Bella? It's a fair question. There are sports for handicapped people," she said.

"Oh, uh, not...anymore. I played football for Forks. Before. There aren't many paraplegic people in Forks, so no sports for...handicapped people," he finished.

"You played football before? So this is recent?" She asked, nodding up and down to indicate his wheelchair.

"Jesus, Renee," my dad said from my left, and I wanted to cry. I didn't know why she was being so rude. So insensitive.

"What, Charlie? I'm just trying to learn more about Bella's boyfriend. For all that she's told me about him, she seem to have left a few things out," my mom said, malice in her voice that was confusing and hurtful to hear. "You did to, for that matter," she said to dad.

"Well hell, Renee, it didn't really seem like something that needed to be said," my dad said angrily.

"Yes, it's recent," Edward chimed in. "I was playing in the first football game of the season last year when I got hit in the spine," he explained softly.

"So you'll be in that the rest of your life then?" She asked.

"Renee," Phil said, quietly begging her to stop this ridiculous line of questioning.

"Most likely. I'm still in physical therapy, but there's a strong chance I'll never use my legs again," Edward said firmly, quietly.

"Hmm," my mom said as the waitress returned with drinks and rolls.

The rest of the evening was quiet and tense. I could tell Edward was desperately uncomfortable. And everyone at the table could probably feel the heat radiating off of me. I was furious at my mom. She breezed into town long enough to upend the entire evening.

We ate in silence, my mom leaning into Phil to talk occasionally but not speaking to anyone else. Phil looked sad, for Edward or for me, I didn't know. My dad looked annoyed.

I pushed my food around, my appetite all but gone.

The one constant of the night, the only thing that kept me focused and kept the tears at bay, was the feel of Edward's hand in mine on my leg.

After dinner, Edward said his goodbyes and then went to his car to head home. His sister and all of our friends were in Port Angeles by now, waiting for stores to open throughout the night. I wasn't even sure if Edward's parents were home, or if they were shopping too. I was worried at the thought of him going home alone, but I knew I couldn't bail on the evening yet.

Before he left, he'd handed me all three of the flowers he brought.

"Can you give these to your mom and Mrs. Clearwater?" He asked sadly.

"Um, sure," I nodded. I could understand why he didn't really want to do it himself.

I gave Sue her rose, letting her know it was from Edward. She smiled and parted ways with my dad, leaving an evening I was sure she was happy to get away from.

And then my mom and I climbed into the back of dad's truck, the ride home vastly different from the ride there.

No one said a word as we rode down the dark, wet streets. The roads weren't busy, most people either at their own homes or crowded into shopping malls by now.

When my dad pulled into the driveway, we all silently got out and walked to the porch.

My mom stopped short, glancing to her right and noticing the ramp that was there, a detail she'd apparently missed earlier in the evening.

With a hardened glare, she continued walking—stomping—up the steps and into the house.

The three of them went into the kitchen, and I stood deciding. I knew I needed to be present for the little bit of time left that mom and Phil would be here, but she'd made it increasingly more difficult to want to be around her. I was pissed at her. Pissed that she'd ruined the evening, the holiday. Pissed that she'd been so unbelievably cruel to Edward for no apparent reason. Pissed that I hadn't stood up to her.

When no one said anything, I huffed and turned to walk up the stairs.

"Bella, stay here," mom called.

I ignored her, fueled by the tone in her command, and kept walking upstairs.

I made a point of slamming my door, turning the lock dramatically. I knew I wasn't being mature, but I didn't have it in me to care.

To keep myself from falling on the bed in a crying heap, I collected my clothes to pack. Pajamas for the night, clean undergarments, and an outfit for the next morning. I slipped my brush and a small bag of makeup in, too.

I sat on my bed, staring at my phone as I unlocked and locked the screen over and over.

I groaned when I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. I wasn't ready to face her.

"Bells, it's me. I know you're angry, baby, but you to come down and talk to her," he urged.

I got up and opened the door, creaking it open and looking up.

"Why does she hate him, daddy?" I whispered sadly.

"I don't think she hates him, Bells. She just loves you. She's scared for you. She doesn't want things to happen like...last time," he said.

"That's bull. She's not worried about Edward doing what Jacob did. She's just prejudiced against him because of his handicap," I said.

"I don't think it's that. I don't think she's prejudiced against him. I think she's just worried about him...for you," dad said.

"Why? Because he's different? Does she think he's not good enough? Not capable of everything anyone else is? Because he is. He's smart and driven and he will be just as successful, if not more so, than most of our graduating class!" I said.

"I know, Bells. I know. You don't have to justify him to me. I know he's a good kid and I see a lot of future in him. But your mom—she sees this town. She sees him never leaving it, and as a result, you never leaving it. She doesn't want you stuck here taking care of someone else and selling yourself short," he explained.

"That's...ridiculous. Edward already has college plans. He's not staying here. Neither of us are. We have career goals and dreams for the future," I said.

"Why don't you come downstairs and explain that to her? Let's just talk. She and Phil have to leave for Seattle soon to catch their flight. Let's not leave things this way?" He pleaded.

I sighed, turning to grab my bag and phone before walking out of the bedroom door.

I followed dad downstairs and into the kitchen where mom and Phil were sitting at the table sipping coffee.

"Bella," mom said as she looked at me and took in the bag I was holding.

"Mom," I said curtly back.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"I'm staying the night with some friends. We're going shopping early on the morning," I replied.

"Oh. Any friends you've told me about?" She asked.

"Just Alice, and Rose. Jessica and Angela, too," I said.

"Alice. Edward's sister?" She asked, standing up, growing louder.

"Yes," I said through gritted teeth. Here we go.

"Charlie, you're letting her spend the night at her boyfriend's house?" She screeched, throwing her hands in the air. Phil sat behind her, looking concerned but staying silent.

"Yes, with her boyfriend's sister and several other female friends," Charlie defended.

"Unbelievable. Any other boys going to be there?" She asked.

"Yes. Three of our friends, who will be sleeping in different rooms as the girls," I explained, not that I thought it would help.

"This is preposterous! Are these parents even home? Or do they just leave you kids to do whatever the hell you want with each other? She's going to end up pregnant before she even graduates," my mom yelled, pointing at me but glaring at my dad.

"Come off it, Renee. She's a good kid. I trust her. I trust'em all. Besides, one of the boys in the group is, I'm pretty sure, more attracted to Edward than Bella," Charlie said.

"I can't believe I let you come live here. Your dad clearly doesn't know how to parent. Leaving you to have all kinds of sex and get in trouble. Letting you go to this house with these parents who apparently don't care what their kids do!" My mom said, pacing the floor.

"Okay, first of all?" I started. "Dad is the best man in the entire world. He is an amazing parent, and don't you dare accuse him of anything otherwise. Second of all, Edward and I haven't even had sex! But you know who I did have sex with? Jacob, the boy you just loved and thought could do no wrong. And you know where? IN YOUR HOUSE. All those times you left me alone to 'have all kinds of sex and get in trouble!'" I yelled, my eyes boring into my mom's with fury. I could feel angry, hot tears in my eyes.

Mom gasped, though nothing I'd just said to her was a secret. She'd been in my room with me night after night as I cried myself to sleep after Jacob cheated on me. I'd confided everything in her.

"Bella," dad said, a pained expression on his face. I knew it was killing him to hear me say the things he'd tried so hard not to know about me.

"I'm sorry," I whispered to him, before turning back to my mom.

"Edward got hurt last year. It left him paralyzed. But it didn't leave him unfeeling, and the way you acted tonight was disgusting and hurtful. He is intelligent, kind, and driven. He's already been accepted to three different colleges, and he's applied for more. He's not going to be held back by his wheelchair. If anything, it's motivated him to work harder in life because he no longer has the football star future he thought he would. HE motivates ME to work harder. I'm a better person because of him. He will never let his circumstances hold him back. And he would never, ever let anyone feel sorry for him because of it. But you? I feel sorry for you. You will miss out on knowing so many amazing people if you spend your life judging them as quickly and harshly as you did tonight," I finished, my heart beating fast and hard in my chest.

"I'm done here," I declared after no one said anything.

"Phil, thank you for coming. I love you. Mom, have a nice trip home. Despite it all, I love you. But until you can pull your head out of your ass, don't bother calling me," I said.

I bent to grab my bag and purse, fishing out my keys and realizing the two flowers from Edward were still in there.

"Oh, this is for you. From Edward," I said, tossing the rose onto the kitchen table before turning away.

"Dad, I'm sorry. This was a nice surprise. Please tell Sue I'm sorry for how the night went, and maybe invite her over for dinner soon. I love you," I said, reaching to hug him.

"I love you, baby girl. Please be careful. Text me when you get there?" He whispered in my ear.

I leaned back and nodded, not looking behind me as I walked to the door and left.

I felt terrible for leaving my dad to pick up the mess I'd just made, but I couldn't stay in there any longer.

I got in my car and cranked it, driving away as quickly as possible.

But halfway to Edward's, I had to pull over and let the tears, the sadness and anger wash over me. The night had been a disaster, and I'd only made it worse. But I didn't regret what I said. It was true, and my mom needed to hear it.

I could only hope that one day we'd repair this.

I dabbed my eyes with my sleeve, knowing I was red-faced snotty mess but needing Edward.

I drove the rest of the way to his house. The porch light was on and a few cars were outside, but Emmett's Jeep and Eric's Forerunner were missing, so I assumed everyone was still out shopping.

I shut my car off and grabbed my stuff, reaching for my phone to text my dad as promised. I got out and went to the house, trudging up the front steps. Edward opened the door before I could even knock, looking up and taking in my face.

He'd changed into jeans and a t-shirt, looking just as breathtakingly handsome as he always did.

"Bella," he said, pained as he took in my tear stained face.

"Mom and I had a terrible fight," I whispered.

He didn't say anything, just turned and let me into the door. I walked in and went straight towards his bedroom, dropping my bag when I got in there. He came in behind me and shut the door.

Wordlessly, I kicked off my shoes and climbed on the bed, easing over so that he could join me.

He wheeled himself over and turned so that he could lift himself from the chair and onto the bed.

Once he was situated and comfortable, sitting up against the wall, he pulled me under his arm and tucked me against him, his hand stroking my hair softly as he kissed my head.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly. "I'm sorry for my mom, for her making you feel the way she did. She was so out of line," I said, turning to look up at him.

"She didn't make me feel anything that wasn't true," he shrugged.

"Edward, don't—"

"I'm not putting myself down. I'm being truthful. But Bella?"

"Hmm?"

"Why didn't you tell your mom that I was in a wheelchair?" He asked. That stopped me in my tracks. I leaned away, looking up and into his eyes that were swimming with hurt.

"Edward, I...I guess I didn't feel like it was necessary," I started.

"It kind of was, though. It's something that's a part of me. It's kind of what identifies me," he said.

"Your wheelchair is _not_ what identifies you," I said firmly.

"I don't mean that I'm just my wheelchair. But it's a big, huge part of me. It defines everything about my life. And it would have been nice not to see the complete surprise and shock on her face tonight. Perhaps things would have gone differently if she hadn't been caught off guard," he shrugged.

"Her surprise still doesn't justify her behavior," I said.

"No, it doesn't. But her surprise _is_ justified. She had no idea that your boyfriend wasn't normal. Not in the traditional sense. And to be honest, I can see where her worries are coming from. She doesn't think I'll ever be enough to care for you. To be who you need. She's afraid I'll hold you back, trap you into being my caretaker."

"I don't give a damn what she thinks. I know you. You, the smart, driven man who is going to go to college and get a great job and have an amazingly successful future. Your wheelchair won't change that," I told him.

"Bella, I know my drawbacks. But I also know what I'm capable of, and how much stronger I've become since...since I met you," he said, and it was one of the first moments I'd ever heard him give himself credit for anything. He didn't put himself down or belittle himself. To think, I'd been worried about his own family making him feel bad today, when it was mine that I should have been worried about. My family. And myself.

"You're amazing, you know that?" I whispered, pushing myself up so that I could meet his mouth with my own. I could feel his hesitation, so I pulled away again.

"Edward, I'm sorry I didn't tell her. Maybe on some level I was nervous to. She'd had Jacob on a pedestal the entire time we were together. He was smart, funny, handsome, played baseball. And he was from a big town and a big family. She knew he'd be going further than Jacksonville in life, and I guess she hoped I'd get the same opportunities if I stayed with him. He, of course, shattered that image after what happened. But as far as first boyfriends go, for a while at least, he was who she'd have picked for me," I finished.

"But," I continued before he could speak. "That's not what made me nervous to tell her about your chair. I'd told her so much else about you, and she gushed about how wonderful you sounded. Because I told her all of the things that made you wonderful. I just didn't tell her this because I knew, if she knew, she'd find a way to make it about her. About how she spent her teenage years here when her parents moved them here. About how she met my dad, who stopped his football career short when he got a torn rotator cuff. He never had the drive to rehabilitate and learn to play again. He went to two years of college before going to the police academy and joining the force. He never wanted more than that, but she did. And she wants more than that for me, I guess," I said.

"But you didn't think you could have more with me?" He asked softly.

"Of course I did. I do. I guess I just didn't want her to make that judgement before she met you, you know? I wanted her to see for herself that you are so much more than the small town boy who got hurt on the football field," I said.

"I think I can understand that," he nodded.

"I am sorry, Edward."

"I believe you. And I forgive you," he told me, leaning down kiss me

His tongue glided between my lips, finding mine and setting that familiar fire alight in my belly.

I reached my left hand up to his chest, feeling his strong muscles beneath his shirt.

I wanted to get closer, to deepen the kiss further, so I lifted up to straddle him.

I could feel him growing beneath me, and I pulled my dress up my legs to give me better access to him.

We were rubbing against each other and moving to the rhythm of our heavy breaths as we continued to kiss.

I slid my hands down his chest and reached under myself to get to the button of his jeans, working to open it.

I had the zipper down, easing my hand into his pants as I leaned in to whisper, "I'm ready" to him.

"Fuck," Edward moaned as my hand captured his erection.

"Please," I moaned. "Please, Edward," I urged.

"Bella, baby," he said, before grabbing my hand and stopping my movements on him.

"What is it?" I asked, leaning away breathlessly.

"Not...yet," he said, his face pained as he said it.

"What? Why not?" I asked, irrational anger bubbling to the surface.

"Because, it's not the right time," he said, and again he looked like he wanted to be doing anything but stopping what was about to happen.

"Why the fuck not?" I yelled, standing up and moving off the bed, away from him.

"Bella, please, baby," he urged, using his arms to help swing his legs over the side of the bed. For the first time, he looked like he was genuinely being held back by his disability. He looked like he wanted to jump off of the bed and come to me but couldn't.

"You don't want me? Is that it?" I asked, tears springing to my eyes as I felt an ache in my heart.

"Of course I do!" He said loudly. He moved to get in his chair and rolled himself over to me. He reached for my hand, and I let him take it but kept my other arm crossed over my chest.

"Bella, I want you more than you can possibly know. It's damn near all I think about. But tonight? After you had a fight with your mom? You're upset, and I don't want our first time together to be tarnished by anything. And tonight it would be. You'd be upset and preoccupied the entire time. When we make love, I want all of you. I want it to be perfect. I don't want it to happen until after I've told you that I lo—" he stopped short, his eyes going wide.

"After you've told me that you what?" I whispered, and I knew the hand he was holding was shaking.

He pulled me closer, guiding me to sit sideways on his lap. His hand reached up to brush my hair off of my forehead as he leaned in to place a soft kiss there.

"After I've told you that I...that I love you," he said, a soft whisper that I wish I could have trapped in a box and kept forever.

"You do?" I asked carefully.

"So so much," he confirmed.

"Say it again."

"I love you, Bella," he answered.

"Edward," I whispered reverently at this boy who so brilliantly turned this evening around. "I love you, too."

* * *

 **Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate! May your day be filled with food and naps, and free from family drama and political arguments.**

 **This declaration of love between our Bella and Edward is dedicated to my beta bestie, who just celebrated 10 years of marriage with her husband. Happy anniversary, guys!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hi everyone! I have no excuses for why this took so long, but I am happy with this chapter. Thanks for sticking with me!**

 **My beta is amazing and got this edited and back to me so fast so that I could post it before I go out of town. Thank you, Chicsarah!**

 **Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable characters herein. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

"Alright, so who's going?" Eric asked. We were all sitting at our lunch table, anxious because we had only two weeks standing between us and Christmas break.

"Going to what?" I asked, munching on some grapes out of a ziplock. Edward kept reaching over and stealing them. I was swatting playfully at his hand, giggling as he'd reach over and squeeze my knee under the table.

We'd been in a state of blissful ignorance since Thanksgiving a few weeks before. Neither of us brought up the events of that night, ignoring both the fact that I hadn't spoken to my mom since, as well as what happened—or didn't happen—between Edward and me later that night.

We'd only had a few more instances of intimacy since, and each time Edward would only let us take it so far. We did a lot of kissing and groping and rubbing, but if it looked like we were getting close to sex, he'd stop us. I knew he wanted the moment to be special for us. I also knew that he hadn't done this since his injury. He was nervous about it. I was, too, for that matter. But I was also really ready to be with him.

I had to remind myself that this wasn't just something that had physical hurtles for us, though. This was something mental for both of us. We'd both been hurt very deeply, and to take this step would mean we trusted each other completely.

I'd actually done a little private research on sex for paralyzed people. I knew Edward had to be pretty diligent about his cleanliness, especially in certain areas. He'd shown that he could get an erection and things were in working order for him.

I think I was most intimidated by our lack of position options. I'd have to be on top always, and while I wasn't a virgin, I wasn't exactly the most experienced. It had been a while since my last time, and I was a little afraid of the pain.

It would present its challenges, certainly. But I knew it would also be worth it to have that closeness with Edward, the boy I loved so much.

"The senior ski trip," Eric said.

"There's a senior ski trip?" I asked dumbly.

"Yep. Every year in January. So who's going?" He asked.

"I am," Jessica said at the same time as Emmett and Rose declared they were, as well.

"I don't think I am," Angela said sadly.

"You're not?" Ben asked. He sat at our table but often didn't join in our activities. He seemed shy and intimidated, always on the outskirts of our group. It was odd, because at the beginning of the year he seemed more open, always cracking jokes and doing impersonations. I was beginning to wonder what, or who, caused this change in him.

"N-no," Angela stuttered, startled at his sudden speaking, since he'd been mostly silent at lunch the last few months.

"Me, neither," he said.

The both grinned at each other, not saying much more, but glancing each other's way the rest of lunch.

"Are you?" I asked Edward.

"I want to," he said. "I mean, obviously I can't ski. But it's been a senior right of passage for years. And there is more to do besides ski. They let seniors explore the town on their own and all. Besides, a cabin in the snowy mountains sounds kind of...perfect. Don't you think?" He said quietly, his voice taking a lower, rougher tone.

"Yes," I whispered, staring into his eyes. We stayed like that for several long seconds.

"Hey, Kim and Kanye, enough with the heart eyes already!" Eric said, snapping his fingers at us across the table.

"What?" I asked, turning to roll my eyes at him.

"I asked if you two were going on the ski trip," Eric said, sassy and exasperated.

"Kim and Kanye?" I laughed.

"Fine, William and Kate? Barack and Michelle? Portia and Ellen? Taylor Swift and...herself?"

I rolled my eyes at Eric as the others laughed. I turned back to look at Edward for confirmation. He nodded his head.

"Yeah. I think we will," I answered, smiling at the possibility of going out of town with my boyfriend, even if it was a school related trip.

* * *

Later that week, on Friday night, I was standing in downtown Forks, outside of the municipal building. Edward was beside me, Jasper and Alice behind him. Jessica and Angela were to my left, teeth chattering as we all stood watching our breaths swirl in the cold. We were in a crowd of people but at the front, so that Edward could see better and so that Emmett could get a good look at the band.

Rose was standing at her podium, facing the band as they sat warming up and tuning their instruments.

Tonight was the annual Forks Christmas Tree lighting, a tradition for my friends and a first for me. There were people and kids everywhere, bundled up in the bitter, below freezing cold.

We all looked up gratefully when Emmett, Eric, and Ben walked up balancing several steaming cups of hot cocoa in their hands. I carefully took two cups and handed one to Edward, placing it in his gloved hands. He smiled up at me and took his elbow to lightly nudge my hip.

"What, no cookies?" Alice asked with a pout, looking at the boys.

"Your legs ain't broke," Emmett joked, but then immediately realized what he said when Alice and I stared at him wide-eyed.

"No, but mine are," Edward deadpanned, laughing at his own joke while the rest of us stayed silent. He looked to the group and then to me, gauging our reaction.

"Oh, come on. That was perfect comedic timing!" He said.

Again no one said a thing, save for Jasper's mumbled "you're an idiot" to Emmett.

"Hey," I whispered, tapping Edward's shoulder lightly and looking down.

He looked up, his usually bright eyes sad.

"Does it make me an asshole if I thought it was kind of funny?" I asked. I didn't truly, but I was starting to realize that I would never fully get Edward to let this defense mechanism down. Even though I knew why he did it, and we all knew he didn't have to around us, his friends, it was something that unfortunately couldn't be shaken easily, if at all.

"Yeah?" He asked, his mouth turning up in the sexy sly grin I loved so much.

"Yeah," I nodded with a smile that I tried desperately to make look real.

I didn't have to pretend a few minutes later, though, when I felt his hand grab mine, our thick glove covered fingers intertwining.

"So, Eric," I started, turning towards him as he sipped his cocoa.

"So, Bella," he said back to me, ever the smart ass.

"Is it weird for you to be at a Christmas tree lighting?" I asked.

"I'm Jewish, Bella, not the Antichrist," he declared.

"Well, let's not be so sure..." Jessica started, earning her an elbow to the ribs from Eric and a laugh from the rest of us.

"Speaking of the antichrist..." I mumbled loudly, looking in the direction of where I saw Lauren walking. She'd left our group back in October, spending most of her time with Tyler. He seemed smitten and she seemed—bored. She still liked to glare in my direction sometimes, and I often caught her looking at Edward. But I stopped feeling bad about her rejection long ago.

"Ugh, she's so melodramatic," Eric said.

Soon the lights around us dimmed so that with the dark night sky, we couldn't see much. The spotlights turned on to the stage and Rose tapped the podium with her baton, signaling the band to put their instruments in place.

With a triumphant, unified sound, they began playing Jingle Bells, letting it morph into other Christmas songs. The town mayor took the microphone and started counting down as the band continued to play.

As soon as the countdown hit one, the giant tree lit up with thousands of brilliantly bright, twinkling lights. It was magnificent in its sheer size and brightness, more beautiful than anything I could ever remember seeing at Christmas before.

I felt something cold hit my nose and looked up, catching the flutter of a few soft flakes as they billowed to the ground.

"It's snowing!" I yelled, causing others around me to glance up. "Edward, it's snowing!" I said again, bouncing on my feet.

"I see that, love," he chuckled. I looked down at him, my smile falling a bit.

"Sorry, I just...I've only ever seen snow once before, when Phil took us to North Carolina for a trip," I shrugged.

"You don't have to apologize, Bella. Your excitement is adorable," he grinned.

I rolled my eyes and turned to twirl in the snow, the others laughing and joining in my excitement.

"I wish I got that excited about anything," Jessica laughed.

"Well thaw some of that heart out and you might," Eric quipped.

"Hey, guys," we heard as Rosalie bounded up, still on her sparkly band uniform.

"Hey, baby," Emmett said, holding out her band letterman's jacket for her that he'd been holding, bundling her up.

"You guys want to go get coffee and waffles?" Jasper asked, a bouncing, cold Alice beside him.

"Oh, that sounds good!" Jessica shivered, already turning to walk towards the cars.

"Want to go?" I asked Edward.

"As tempting as hash browns sound, I was actually kind of hoping we could go...somewhere," he said, his voice lower, husky.

"Where?" I asked, raising my eyebrow.

"Somewhere private," he all but whispered.

I stared at him for a few long seconds, his light eyes sparkling with the reflection of the giant Christmas tree. Big, fat snow flakes were landing in his hair, one catching his eyelash before he blinked it away.

"Okay," I said back, grinning at the sexy mischief on his face.

* * *

Less than 20 minutes later, Edward pulled up in front of a big river. There was no light save for the headlights of his car. He'd turned down a dirt road, still about a half a mile before the road his house was on, and I assumed this was the same river that could be heard from his backyard.

"No one comes back here?" I asked, a little nervous and a little thrilled at the thought.

"Nope," He said with a pop of his lips. "This is part of my parents' property. On the rare summer days it was warm enough we would come swimming here, and fishing. Otherwise, it's private. Secluded. We're alone," He stammered out, suddenly nervous.

"Alone," I breathed.

Edward had turned the car off, leaving only the radio playing.

I shivered, already feeling cooler without the heater running.

"There's um...there's a blanket in the back. If you want to go back there. We could, you know, watch Netflix on my phone or something," Edward shrugged. I smiled, knowing I didn't want anything that Netflix had to offer me right now but liking the idea of getting in the back with him.

"Okay," I smiled.

I watched as he pulled his chair around in front of him, opening his door and setting it out beside the car. He moved into it, backing it up and opening the door to the back seat. He eased back out of the chair and into the car, sliding himself over so that he was behind the passenger seat.

I got out and walked around, getting into the seat beside him as he dug out the thick blanket.

"Your chair?" I asked, nodding to it out on the grass.

"It will be fine," he said. I shut the door and slid over so that I was beside him. He unfolded the blanket and spread it across our laps, bundling us together. I knew we couldn't stay in here long before it got too cold, so I was determined the make the most of our time together.

"Edward?" I asked, leaning into him, my lips so close to his.

"Yeah?" He breathed back.

"I don't want to watch Netflix on your phone," I said to him before leaning in to place my lips on his. He met mine with his soft, warm mouth, inviting me into him as we both moaned. Our tongues met and battled for dominance, and I could feel it evertywhere, in every part of me.

My hand slid down to his chest, unzipping his jacket and reaching in to rub the hard planes of his stomach over his shirt. His stomach was rock solid, twitching under my gentle touch.

His mouth left mine and found my neck, licking and sucking gently. He captured the moans in my pulse before they could even escape my mouth, his hand reaching into my jacket to cup me over my flannel.

I broke away and pealed of my jacket, then reached in front to unbutton my shirt.

I felt the harsh chill of the cold car hit my naked stomach as my shirt opened, revealed my bra covered chest to him.

My nipples were erect under my bra, begging for Edward's touch.

"Fuck, baby. You're so hot," he whispered, reaching his hand over to wrap around my naked torso and pull me to him.

I moved to straddle him, my boot covered legs on either side of his as my center met the hardness in his jeans.

I was wearing fleece lined leggings, warm but thin, and felt everything he had to offer.

With my shirt still on, Edward reached up to cup my breasts, kneading them over my bra.

"Kiss me," I challenged, and he knew from my smirk that I didn't mean on my lips.

He pulled the cup of my bra down on each side, letting my breasts pop out. Wrapping his hand around my waist, he pulled me into him and leaned down, his hot mouth pulling my nipple in, twirling and sucking it as my head fell back in oblivion.

"Yes," I moaned, grinding my hips against his.

"Fuck," he breathed against my chest, using his other hand to pinch and twirl me between his fingers.

I leaned in, his hand still on my chest as his mouth found my neck again. I bent my head down to his ear, breathing into it.

"I want to taste you," I whispered to him. He stopped short, and I felt his dick twitch beneath me.

I leaned back and looked at him, my eyes searching his to make sure he wanted that, too.

"Yes, please," he said, breathing heavy.

I moved off of him, scooting away and bending over so that I was laying across the seat, my head near his lap.

I popped the button of his jeans, looking up to meet his eyes as I slid the zipper down slowly.

He kept eye contact until I reached into his boxers, pulling him free. As soon as my hand reached around him, squeezing lightly and tugging, his head fell back and his breathing sped up.

I didn't wait any longer, leaning down to place my lips on the tip of him, tasting his readiness.

I opened my mouth to him, sliding him in and as far down as I could manage. It'd been a while since I'd done this, and he was admittedly larger than my past experience. My jaw was going to hurt, but it would be worth it.

I swirled my tongue around him, encouraged by his moans, pants, and whispered curses.

I felt his hand reach down and cup my butt, squeezing it as I wiggled it against his hand.

"Bella," he groaned, his stomach contracting as his breaths came heavy.

After a few long minutes of me bobbing up and down on him, using my tongue to massage him and swirl the tip, he patted me slightly.

"Bella, baby. I'm gonna come," he said, and I pulled off of him, leaving my hand around him and pumping.

He lifted his shirt and undershirt just as the first streams shot out onto his stomach. I pumped as he continued to pulse in my hand, shocked when I felt his legs shake slightly under me.

"Holy fuck," he breathed as the last of it hit his stomach with a final few pulses.

"Edward," I exclaimed. "Your legs!"

"My legs?" He asked.

"They shook! Just now, when you were...finishing. They shook!"

"Holy crap," he said, realizing that his legs had moved, had somehow felt.

"How...?" I asked.

"I...have no idea," he responded, looking up at me.

"Has that ever happened before?" I asked, reaching into the pouch on the back of the seat to grab a thing of wet wipes Edward kept in there.

"Bella, I haven't...had _that_ since the injury," he said.

"I meant when you...you know, alone?" I squeaked, suddenly embarrassed.

Edward laughed at my sudden shyness.

"No, it's never happened with just me and my hand. But trust me when I say, that was a million times better. It felt incredible. It's almost like I have more feeling there, to make up for what I lost in my legs," he said, using a wipe to clean off his stomach before tucking himself back in and zipping his pants. He pulled his shirt down.

"You did that," he said. "You made me feel that. You made me feel...again," he said.

I just smiled at him. Because if giving my boyfriend blowjobs could give him feeling back in his legs, even temporarily, then sign me up! I'd do anything to see that smile on his face as often as possible.

"Come here," he said.

We spent the rest of the evening with our mouths on each other, his hand inside my pants bringing me to ecstasy in a matter of minutes.

* * *

The next morning, I peaked out of the curtains in the living room, waiting for the burgundy Mercedes to pull up.

Edward was at physical therapy until noon, so we had three hours to get what we needed to do done.

My dad was at work, so with a quick goodbye to Pretzel, who was curled into a little donut on the couch, I grabbed my bag and walked out of the door when the car pulled up.

"Good morning, Bella."

"Good morning, Mrs. Cullen. Thank you for picking me up," I told her, buckling into the passenger seat and settling into the heated leather.

"Of course! I'm excited to see Clara again and pick out some stuff for her," she said.

She and Mr. Cullen had talked at length about letting me surprise Edward with Clara for Christmas in a few weeks.

Mr. Cullen was on the fence until Mrs. Cullen had taken him to meet Clara at the shelter. He was in love as fast as his son had been, and relented quickly after that.

Today, Mrs. Cullen and I were going to visit with Clara and get one last lesson on caring for her special needs.

Because of her paralysis, her bladder and stomach had to be manipulated in order to get her to use the bathroom. They claimed it was easy once you got the hang of it, but we wanted to make sure we could do it right and help Edward.

Edward could bend to pick her up, so we hoped he'd be able to help her use the potty, too.

When she was home alone, it was recommended that she wear diapers in case of accidents.

There were also some special rehab exercises we could do with her. They didn't believe she'd ever fully regain her ability to walk, but the exercises helped keep her joints from getting stiff and sore, and kept her front legs and back strong enough to support more of her weight without the use of her back legs.

We'd already learned the water exercises, as well as the how to apply her lotions and take her little chair on and off of her.

"You're sure you and Mr. Cullen are ready for another dog?" I asked as we drove towards the shelter.

"Oh, yes. I love dogs as much as my son. I've wanted another for a while," she said. "I just hope Edward is prepared for the challenges she may bring," Mrs. Cullen said.

"Well, he wasn't exactly ready for his own challenges. But he works around them well. I think he will be that much more equipped to handle Clara," I said.

"You're right. I also hope that having her will make him feel less alone, less different from everyone else," Mrs. Cullen said sadly.

"You think he still struggles with that?" I asked, a little surprised. Edward seemed so happy and carefree most days.

"Oh, yes. Every single day, Bella. My son puts on a good show, even for you. But I see the isolation in him, when he thinks I'm not looking. I see the frustration he battles at everyday tasks being harder for him. He wakes up an hour before anyone else, knowing his shower routine will take longer. He is extra diligent, and even a simple trip to the bathroom is more than anyone else deals with. He gets sores from sitting in his chair, and the struggle even to reach things in the house is draining him," she finished.

"Wow, I...I didn't even realize all of that," I said dumbly. For all I thought I knew about him, apparently he hid some things well.

"Please don't tell him I told you any of that. I just need you to promise me that you'll always be patient with him," she said.

"Of course, I will," I assured.

"It's easy to say, Bella. But let me tell you, it's also easy to get too caught up in life's hurries and forget that you don't have the same limitations as him," she said. She was silent for several seconds before continuing.

"Last year," she started, taking a shaky breath before continuing. "Last year, about a month after Edward had been home, we were getting ready to go out to dinner. Alice, Carlisle, and I were ready and waiting on Edward. He was very insistent from the day he came home that he didn't need our help. He was showering on his own and doing most everything he could without any help. It was slow, and it took him three times as long as anyone else, but he did it.

On this particular day, he'd been at physical therapy and gotten home late. He was rushing to get ready, and we were running behind on dinner. We were meeting some friends in Port Angeles and already had an hour drive ahead of us. So when the three of us were ready and we had about 50 minutes until dinner, we were getting very impatient. Edward had been in the bathroom for over an hour," she explained.

She was quiet for a minute, focusing on turning at a green light, yielding to oncoming traffic.

"So Carlisle finally went into Edward's room, banging on the door in frustration and telling Edward how late we were now," she said, her voice quiet. I could see her eyes getting red with the start of tears.

"What happened?" I asked quietly.

"Carlisle heard a soft 'dad, I need help' from the other side of the door. Carlisle opened the bathroom door to find Edward on the floor, laying half in the shower and half on the tile floor," Ms. Cullen said.

I sucked in my breath, tears forming in the corners of my eyes at just the thought of the scene Mrs. Cullen was setting.

"He'd slipped moving from his shower stool to his wheelchair. His arms and upper body weren't nearly as strong as they are now, and he fell, knocking into his chair and sending it rolling out of reach. He fell on his wrist and it was sprained severely, hindering him from lifting himself back up. In our frustration, we never even heard him calling for us to help. He'd been there for over half an hour, cold and in pain on the floor," she finished, tears freely flowing down her face.

"Oh my," I started, hiccuping around a sob.

"Carlisle helped him get some pants on and then called for me to help him get Edward off of the floor. There were a lot of tears that night. Carlisle was really hard on himself for it for a while, feeling terrible for losing his patience. We have no idea what it's truly like to be Edward, but we know how to control ourselves and remind ourselves that for however much we struggle, he struggles, too. He never wants to be treated differently, but he is different. Not in a bad way. Just a way that we have to remind ourselves of when we lose patience," she finished, and I'd had time to dry my eyes.

"I...I don't even know what to say. He's so strong," I whispered, more in reverence to myself than to Mrs. Cullen.

"Yes, he is," she replied. "But Bella, if you want a future with him, you have to be strong, too. Stronger, even. It's going to test you. When he needs something he can't reach and you have to stop what you're doing. When you have to take care of chores he can't do. If...if he's able to have kids one day, it'd be a lot of work..."

"If?" I asked hesitantly.

"If. There's a much larger chance that he can't father children now. That's not to say it's impossible, but the chances were significantly decreased by the injury," she explained.

I mulled that over for a minute, considering if that was a game changer. At 18, it wasn't. But I didn't know what I'd want for the future.

"Bella, I don't know if you two have been, eh hem, intimate, but please continue to practice with caution. If for no other reason, be proactive in safety and cleanliness. Edward has to be very vigilant about taking care of himself. He's more prone to infections and resulting issues. Please, just be cautious," she warned.

"We will. When...if we do that," I answered quietly.

She blew out a breath as we turned into the shelter parking lot. She pulled the car into a spot and put the car in park, turning to face me.

"Bella, you are a remarkable girl. Edward is so lucky to have you in his life, as are we. We cherish the happiness you've given him these last few months. But if you ever feel like it's too much, like the weight of Edward's differences are too much, it's okay. He will forgive you, and he will move on. Please, don't ever hold yourself back if you feel trapped," she encouraged.

That. That right there was how my mom should have said things. In that moment, Mrs. Cullen felt closer to me than my own mom. She was giving me a choice, and telling me that no matter what, it would be okay. She was telling me I could get out if I wanted. If I felt trapped.

But just like my mom, Mrs. Cullen was completely wrong. I wasn't trapped. I was on the cusp of a future with Edward, full of adventure and surprise. Neither of us would settle, not in life or love. We'd find our way together.

Knowing his own mom underestimated him, that she didn't believe he still had the same opportunities he once had, made me sad. For him, for her.

But it also made me more excited than ever to watch him flourish, watch us both find our way together. Nothing and no one would hold us back, least of all each other.

* * *

 **Tell me your thoughts. Also, happy holidays! I know this time of year is special for a lot of folks of different backgrounds and religions. I love hearing about holidays of all types. Tell me your traditions and how you celebrate!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Happy Holidays, everyone! Here's the Christmas chapter for you all.**

 **Warning: this chapter deals with sexual assault. This may be a trigger for some, so please read with caution. In light of all that is going on lately, I hope all women and men who have been subjected to this horror can find the strength to speak up and advocate for themselves. Please know that if you need a friend or someone to confide in, you can message me or reach out to me on Facebook. Love to you all.**

 **Chicsarah, thank you for being amazing and getting this edited so quickly and for being my voice of reason and my courage.**

 **Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable characters herein. No copyright infringement is intended**.

* * *

"I have no idea what to get," Edward sighed into the phone. He had been, for the last several days, worried about what to get for his Secret Santa.

Since our group of friends was large and we were all broke high schoolers, we decided to do a Secret Santa exchange among the group. We each drew a name and would buy a gift for that person.

The only rules were that you couldn't draw your own name, your sibling's name, or your significant others' name.

Edward had been stressing about what to get for his, but also refused to tell me who he had. It would "take the secret out of it," he claimed.

"I can't help you if I don't know who you're buying for, Edward," I told him.

"Okay, just tell me what you'd get each person if you had them," he urged.

"I don't know! I didn't think beyond the person I have," I exclaimed.

Edward let out a frustrated groan.

"Why did we decide to do this again?" He asked.

"Well, the alternative was a gift for every person in our group. Would that be easier? To buy for everyone?" I asked.

"Ugh," he said.

"Okay, just think about what every person likes. Rosalie loves music of all kinds, especially classical and score music. Jasper is a giant history nerd, so like a dvd or book or something. Emmett is easy: he loves the Seattle Seahawks. You could find stuff for him no problem. Jessica is pretty basic: she loves things that sparkle. Angela loves to read, so a gift card to any book store would work. Oh, and Eric loves makeup," I finished, adding Eric as a cover. I knew Edward hadn't drawn Eric's name because I had. I'd gone to Ulta and gotten him a Jaclyn Hill eyeshadow palette that I knew he wanted. Eric decided he'd participate with us for fun, even though he and his family had other traditions they celebrated for Hanukkah.

"And per the rules, I know you don't have Alice or me," I said.

"Okay, yeah. I can work with that, I guess. If all else fails, an Amazon gift card could work for any of them," he said.

"Good luck. You have three days, babe," I told him. Today was Monday and we were doing our exchange on the last day before break on the upcoming Thursday.

"Thanks," he groaned again.

I chuckled and we said our goodnights.

As I got ready for bed, I packed a few more things into boxes and looked around at my empty bedroom. This weekend, with the help of my friends, I'd be working towards one of Edward's Christmas gifts from me.

* * *

On Thursday, we were sitting around the lunch table, gift bags in hand. Suspiciously, Mike was at the end of the table but Tyler and Lauren were nowhere to be found. They moved from table to table most weeks, not always sitting near us. But Mike was alone and looked worried.

Eric and Jessica came up to the table, somber looks on their faces.

"What's going on?" Angela asked as the two of them sat beside her.

"We just went by the office, and you guys, Tyler was in handcuffs!" Eric said.

"What?" The majority of the table asked all at once.

"Where's Lauren?" Angela asked.

"She was there, too. She looked all a mess and she was crying," Eric explained.

"Mike, what's going on?" Jessica asked, looking down at Tyler's best friend.

"I don't know," he replied quietly. "I think...I think Tyler did something bad," he said.

"I've got to go," I said, jumping from the table.

"Bella, wait, where are you going?" Edward called out.

"I've got to find Lauren," I said, unable to explain my sudden need to make sure that she was okay.

"You guys just...open them without me," I said, running from my friends.

I made a beeline for the office once I left the lunchroom, running as fast as I could.

I was surprised to find Lauren outside of the office, sitting on the floor against the wall.

Principal Green was outside beside a cop car, lights flashing. I could only vaguely make out who I assumed was Tyler in the back.

"Lauren?" I asked softly. She looked up at me, her face red and covered in tears. She looked more pained than I'd ever seen anyone look, than anyone ever deserved to look.

"Oh my gosh," I said, moving to sit beside her on the floor against the wall.

I tentatively put my arm around her shoulders, and immediately she leaned over, slumping against me as another loud sob escaped her.

"Lauren, what...what happened?" I asked softly, stroking her hair as she shook against me.

"He...last night, he tried...I said no, that I didn't want to, but he kept pushing..." she mumbled.

"What. Did. He. Do?" I demanded, unable to keep the anger out of my voice.

"We were in his room, just kissing. I had let him...take off my shirt," she whispered. "But finally I told him I wanted to stop. That's when he got mad. He...he yanked my bra down, exposing me. Then he touched me," she said, barely audible.

"That fucker," I whispered, my anger turning into pure rage.

Lauren leaned up a bit, tears still falling from her face but the sobs starting to ease. I sat silent beside her, giving her the quiet that she needed.

"He told me he had his camera running on his phone, that he was recording everything. That if I said no, the entire school would see it and know what a slut I was," she said.

"Is he an idiot? All that showed was him trying to ra—to take advantage of you," I said, seeing her wince at my words. "So, how did it get out? Did you say something?" I finally asked.

"No," she shook her head disappointedly. "I didn't know he actually had a recording. I just assumed he was saying it to get me to do what he wanted," she said. "Finally I was able to push him off and get away. I got dressed and ran from his house," she said. "I guess he did have the video, because the dumbass showed it to Mike this morning. Mike came and told Principal Green. The next thing I knew, I was being pulled from class and walked to the office by a police officer. Tyler was already there, in handcuffs. They made—they made me watch the video, to confirm it was me. It was so embarrassing," she said, a new sob rocking through her.

"Shhh," I soothed, unable to find words. Lauren and I hadn't been friends by any stretch of the imagination, but this shit was not okay.

"I'm so sorry, Bella," she said to me, sitting up again.

"What? Why?" I asked.

"For how I acted earlier this year. I was jealous that Edward liked you and not me. I was such a jerk to you. I guess payback really is a bitch," she said.

"Hey, no. No fucking way was this payback for anything. You did not...DO NOT deserve this. Tyler is a piece of shit who tried to use his strength and dominance to hurt you. You didn't do anything to deserve this, and he won't get away with this," I told her.

"I just...I feel so violated. The way he touched me and put his mouth on me. He..."

"He sexually assaulted you. And that is in no way, shape, or form okay," I said.

"What do I do now?" She asked, helpless.

"Well first of all, you aren't alone. You have me and your entire group of friends. And Mike, who was willing to rat out his best friend to do what was right. I understand why you didn't think you could tell, but they have the proof now. And no one else has to see that video," I told her.

"I don't deserve your friendship. Or anyone's," she said.

"Lauren, none of us are perfect. We all screw up. Have you been my favorite person these last few months? Nope," I said with a pop, and she chuckled.

"But, I know you are a good person. If I'd been in your shoes, I may have acted the same way. But I hope we can work through that and become friends. And I hope you know your worth. That it won't be defined by what some douche bag did to you," I told her. She nodded her head at me.

"Lauren?" We heard from the door. Two older people, who I assumed were Lauren's parents, were standing at the door with Principal Green.

I noticed the cop car was gone and made a note to check with my dad later that night to find out what happened.

I stood up and helped Lauren up, turning to leave and let her have privacy with her parents.

"Bella?" I heard her call behind me, and I turned.

"Thank you," she said with a small grin.

"Girl code," I winked at her, getting another small chuckle from her.

* * *

Later that night, the group of us sat around my living room, having postponed our gift exchange after the day's drama.

I was recounting the details of the story to them. It had, of course, made its rounds so that the entire school knew about it by the day's end. I tried to keep the more private aspects a secret but also set the record straight among all of the misinformation my friends had heard.

"I'm shook," Eric exclaimed, reaching for a few chips from the bowl on the coffee table.

"What a dick," Alice said, the rest of us nodding.

"He's always been cocky, but I honestly didn't think he'd rape someone," Emmett said.

"He didn't rape her," Rosalie said. "Thank God."

"He assaulted her against her will. It's just as fucking bad," Emmett said.

"Language," we heard from the kitchen.

"Sorry, Chief," Emmett called.

"Hey dad, have you heard anymore about Tyler?" I asked as my dad came into the room.

"His parents got him out on bail, but the video is pretty damning evidence. He will have to go before a judge. Though if he'd done that to you, Bells, I'd have killed him," my dad said.

I knew my dad wasn't joking, either.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," I said, standing up from the chair I was in beside Edward.

"Hey girl, come in," I said, ushering Lauren into the house. I'd sent her a text after school to invite her over if she felt up to it.

"We were just about to do the gift exchange, so you're just in time," I told her.

"Oh, I didn't bring anything," she said, startled.

"You didn't have to, it was Secret Santa. But there's something there for all of us," I smiled.

She grinned back, everyone greeting her kindly but stiffly. I knew the gang was going to be nervous around her, but I hoped we could all just have fun and try to take her mind off of the last few days.

"Okay, let's pass around gifts," Jessica said. She stood to look at the names on the tags, handing each of us our gifts.

I was surprised to see that mine was the largest box that had been on the table.

Lauren looked startled when Jessica handed her a small, wrapped box.

"Okay, who first?" Emmett asked excitedly.

"Why don't you go for it, buddy?" Jasper said with a laugh.

Emmett needed no further permission to start pulling paper out of the small gift bag. He reached in and pulled out a clear plastic box holding a bow tie, printed with green and navy Seattle Seahawks logos all over it.

"Sweet!" He fist-pumped. He'd been in a bow tie phase lately, wearing them every Sunday to church and some days even to school for no reason.

"There's one more thing in there," Alice said to him, outing herself as his Secret Santa.

Emmett pulled out another small box, revealing a Seattle Seahawks fidget spinner.

"Oh man, he's going to get that taken away at school so fast," Edward laughed.

"Whatever, this is awesome. Thanks, tiny!" He said, reaching around Jasper and Rosalie to high-five Alice.

Edward was next, opening a Sheldon Cooper pop figure and an iTunes gift card.

"Thanks, Jessica!" He said excitedly, having read the "from" part of the gift card.

I was next, opening the giant box to reveal a beautiful Pioneer Woman cake stand with a crystal dome cover.

"This is amazing! Who got me this?" I asked.

"I knew you liked to bake. Figured now you could have something to display it in," Jasper said, grinning sheepishly.

"I love it! Thank you, Jasper."

Eric squealed when he unwrapped his eyeshadow palette, giving me a rare Eric hug in gratitude.

Jessica, who had just gotten a new iPhone 8, was thrilled with the rose gold, glitter phone case and tempered glass screen protectors that Emmett had given her.

Angela pulled from a bag a beautiful copy of Pride and Prejudice, the edging of the pages in gold and lovely artwork on the cover. Inside was a gift card to Barnes and Noble.

"I know that book is your favorite, but I thought that copy looked nice. Also, this way you can get whatever else you've been wanting to read," Edward explained.

"This is lovely. Thank you," she said to him.

I glanced at Edward and smirked at him, proud that he'd found such a nice gift after all of his stressing.

Lauren still seemed surprised that she had something to open, but she smiled when she pulled the paper from a small gift box to pull out the Vera Bradley wallet I'd given her. She always carried a purse in different patterns, so I stopped at one of the little shops in downtown and picked it up for her after school.

She looked at me and smiled her quiet thanks.

Alice jumped around like crazy person when she opened her Lululemon leggings from Rosalie.

"Rose, are you kidding me? These are way too expensive!" She declared, though she hugged them to her chest in a way that dared anyone to take them away from her.

"You're my best friend. I was going to get you something nice anyway, so drawing your name made it easier," Rosalie shrugged, accepting Alice's excited hug.

Rosalie was genuinely surprised, as were the rest of us, when she unwrapped a wooden frame. She turned it around to reveal a matted piece of sheet music from the Phantom of the Opera, her favorite musical.

"I hope you like it," Eric grinned, playing coy but knowing good and well that she loved it.

"It's incredible. Thank you," she smiled.

"You're welcome," he said proudly.

"I guess now I can't be mad at you when you eye my boyfriend," Rose said, causing the rest of us to laugh and both Eric and Emmett to blush.

Jasper was last, and was delighted to unwrap a copy of the Hamilton soundtrack, along with a t-shirt that just said "Gettysburg" across it.

"These are really cool. Thanks, Ang," he told her.

We spent the rest of the night watching Christmas movies, eating way too much sugar, and enjoying each other's company. I was still anxious about my gifts for Edward, hoping beyond hope that he'd like them. I hadn't spent a whole lot of money, but I hoped they'd mean more to him than anything money could buy.

* * *

The next few days went by quickly, a blur of gift wrapping, Christmas baking, and moving stuff around with the help of my dad and my friends.

I baked cookies, pies, and of course, brownies, for the Christmas dinner at the Cullens. Since it was harder to find a place to eat that wasn't carryout Chinese on Christmas Day, the Cullens had invited my dad and I over for dinner that evening.

Edward was coming to my house on Christmas Eve and we were exchanging gifts then.

I was nervous, planning to meet Ms. Tori earlier that day to get Edward's main gift. I'd have to confine Pretzel to my old bedroom upstairs, knowing he wouldn't be happy to have the house guest for the few short hours she'd be there.

While Edward was at therapy on Saturday, the rest of the gang came over and helped me move everything, from my bed to my desk to all of the boxes I had.

Once the heavy lifting was done, the guys left to go grab us some lunch while the girls, and Eric, stayed behind and helped me get everything set back up. I rehung pictures, posters, and my clothes in the closet. The space was smaller but it would work.

The old furniture that had originally been in this unused room was moved upstairs. By around four that evening, everything was done and my friends all went home.

I talked to Edward that night, listening about his therapy session while I stood in the kitchen rolling out sugar cookie dough.

"So you're coming over tomorrow around noon, right?" I asked.

"Sure, that works. You're sure you don't want to just wait until Christmas Day?" He asked. He didn't understand my insistence that we exchange gifts on Christmas Eve, but there was no way I could pull off what I was planning if we waited. Also, one of his gifts kind of required him to be at my house.

Edward's parents had also asked me to keep him occupied for as long as I could that day while they set up one of his presents. They wouldn't tell me what it was, but they needed Edward out of the house for about four hours. I figured once Edward got his gifts from me, he'd be occupied for a while anyway.

"I'm sure," I smiled into the phone, glancing over at the things I still had to wrap, including water and food dishes, a leash, a new collar and tag, toys, food, and treats.

"Now let me go. I have brownies to bake," I told him.

"Heck, yeah," he said, and I laughed at his excitement.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I chuckled.

"Goodnight, sweetheart," he said softly.

* * *

I got up early the next day to wrap the remaining gifts I had for Edward and my dad, then set a roast in the crockpot so it'd be done in time for dinner with Edward, Dad and Sue.

By the time I had my cooking done, the wrapping finished, and my bed made, I was ready to get in the shower. I took my time blow drying my hair and flat ironing it so that it would be long and soft. I got dressed in leggings and an oversized sweater, slipping on some ankle boots.

I checked my phone, knowing I would need to leave soon to go get Clara and be back in time to beat Edward here.

When I arrived at the shelter, which was dark and locked up, I saw only one other car in the parking lot.

Ms. Tori got out, setting Clara down on the ground so that she could run to me.

"Hi, sweet baby!" I said, lifting her gently to me. She was more awkward to hold than most dogs because of the wheels, but her excitement could not be diminished. She licked my face and acted so happy to see me. I just hoped she reacted the same to Edward.

"Is there anything else I need to do before taking her?" I asked.

"Nope. Ms. Cullen signed the adoption paperwork, and you've both come to get all the training you need. Clara is officially your dog now," Ms. Tori said.

I held in a squeal, barely able to contain my excitement.

"I promise she is in good hands. We will take the best care of her," I vowed, nuzzling her face and letting her kiss my cheek.

"I have no doubts that you will. Merry Christmas, Bella."

"Merry Christmas, Ms. Tori," I told her sincerely.

I got back to the house just in time to help Clara potty in the grass before taking her inside. My dad was home, so his job was to sit upstairs with her until it was time to give her to Edward.

I took her up to his room and he helped me tie the big, red bow onto her collar.

"She really is a cutie," my dad said, quickly warming to the charms of the little dog.

Without a minute to spare, I heard Edward's car pull up out front.

"Okay, try to keep her calm and occupied. Carry her down in about 10 minutes. You can set her down when you get to the end of the stairs," I explained.

"I got her, baby. Go see your fella," my dad said, scratching Clara's head.

I ran down the stairs and got to the door just before Edward knocked, swinging it open. He was there, looking so handsome in a navy blue sweater and blue jeans. He had a card, two gift bags, and a flat, square box wrapped in shiny silver paper on his lap.

"Come in," I said, opening the door for him.

"Merry Christmas, love," he smiled at me.

I leaned down to him, meeting him with a kiss. For a moment, I forgot about the surprises I had for him, getting lost in the feel of his lips.

"Merry Christmas," I whispered as we broke apart.

"Ready to exchange gifts?" He asked with a smile.

"I am," I grinned back. "You get yours first. But, I'm going to have to blindfold you," I told him, holding up a bandana I'd rolled into a blindfold.

Edward quirked his eyebrow at me suggestively.

"Don't get any ideas," I told him sternly.

I wrapped the blindfold around his eyes, tying it tight behind his hair.

"Can you see anything?"

"Not a thing," he responded.

"Good," I told him.

His chair didn't have handles, so it was a little harder to push him, but I managed, holding tight to his shoulders and slowly guiding him through the house, past the guest bathroom and stairs to the back of the house.

"Where are we going?" He asked, one of his hands reaching up to cover mine on his shoulder, his other holding the gifts in his lap in place.

"You'll see," I told him, gently turning him left and pushing him into the open door.

I walked around in front of him, standing to the side of the bed that was against the wall by the door.

"Okay, you can look now," I told him.

He reached up, pulling off his blindfold and adjusting his eyes to the light.

"What's...I'm...confused?"

"It's my bedroom," I told him, holding out my hands and gesturing from wall to wall.

"But your room is upstairs..." he started.

"It was upstairs. Now it's down here," I said.

"Why...how?" He asked, pushing himself forward and turning his chair around, taking it all in.

"I decided that if I couldn't take you to my room, I'd bring it to you. This way you can see every part of me, even when it's covered in dirty laundry and the bed isn't made," I explained with a nervous laugh.

Edward was silent as he took in the walls—posters and paintings and a cork board full of photos.

He rolled himself over to my dresser, which held a jewelry box, a few bottles of perfume, and my small television.

He looked up into the mirror, catching my eye as I met his reflection from behind him where I stood.

"Bella, this is...the most thoughtful thing anyone's ever done for me," he said, turning to face me.

I sat down on the bed and he wheeled over in front of me, reaching out to grab my hands after setting my gifts on the bed beside him.

"Edward, I want to you be able to experience everything anyone else would. It seems simple, to be able to see someone's bedroom. Like it shouldn't be that important. But it is. You learn a lot about someone by the space they keep in private. This bedroom is where I spend my most private moments, where I become the most vulnerable while I sleep. If I couldn't show you this space, then I couldn't show you every part of me. And I want you to see...to have, every part of me," I told him honestly.

"Thank you," he whispered, leaning in to kiss me softly. "I love you."

"I love you, too," I told him.

I heard the stairs creak and my dad's heavy footsteps as he made his way down.

"Your other present is on its way," I smiled.

"There's more?" He asked.

I nodded and stood up, walking out of the room to meet my dad. He set Clara down, and as if she knew exactly where her new dad was, she took off for my bedroom door.

"What the..." we heard, just as we turned to the corner to see Clara up on her wheels, her paws stretched up on Edward's leg to get to him.

"Merry Christmas, Edward!" I said, laughing at his stunned face as he reached down to carefully pick Clara up, smiling and laughing as she wasted no time licking his face.

"She's mine?" He asked, his arms enveloping the tiny dog in a snuggle.

"She's yours," I replied, glancing back at my dad, seeing him smile at the exchange.

"But what about my parents? I don't know if they will let me..."

"They will. Who do you think signed the adoption papers? They are eager to have their new fur baby home, too," I assured.

"Bella, this is...I don't even...thank you. So so much," he told me sincerely.

I smiled, knowing I'd do it a million times over to make him this happy.

* * *

Later that evening, Edward and I were laying in my bed, Clara curled up between us. I felt bad that Pretzel was still confined upstairs, but I still hadn't received the okay from Mrs. Cullen to send Edward home.

Edward had opened all of the accessories earlier that I had gotten for Clara. He was still in disbelief that she was his, but the love in his eyes every time he looked at her let me know he was happy about it.

I reached up to caress the necklace around my neck. Edward had given me a matching set of real pearls—earrings, a necklace, a bracelet, and a ring. It was far too much, but I loved them immensely. I'd been watching a lot of Riverdale and was obsessed with Veronica's pearls. I guess he'd paid attention to my frequent admiration for them.

He'd also given me a picture frame much like the one I'd painted for him on our first date. It had a picture of us from Halloween in it. It was now sitting on my night stand.

The card he'd had was for my dad, holding a gift card for the Bass Pro Shop that was in Olympia. My dad was pretty excited about that.

The other gift bag had been for Pretzel. It was filled with bags of treats and two different bow ties for his collar.

Edward was also pretty excited about my dad's gift to him, some heavier weights for his bench press machine. I'd asked Emmett for advice on that one.

Just as the first showing of 24 hours of "A Christmas Story" ended, my phone chimed from the bedside table. I glanced at it, seeing that it was from Mrs. Cullen. It simply said "Ready."

I waited a few minutes, not trying to make it obvious, before I asked Edward if he wanted to take Clara to her new home and get her settled in.

"Sure," he replied, sitting up and moving back into his chair.

He grabbed Clara's leash and hooked it to her collar, setting her down and letting her lead him out.

"I'll just put her in the car and then come back to get her stuff," he said.

I nodded and went to the living room to gather the small gifts I had for Edward's parents and Alice.

Once we were settled in, the drive took no time to get to Edward's house.

His parents were outside ready to greet us and their new granddog when we got there.

"Hi, Clara!" Mrs. Cullen said, reaching to pet the excited pup.

"Ohhh!" Alice squealed from the porch.

"Thank you for keeping him distracted, Bella," Mr. Cullen whispered to me as the others helped Edward gather Clara's things from the car.

"Do I get to know why?" I asked.

"You're about to find out," he told me, reaching to grab the crate and doggy bed while the rest of us got all of the other belongings from the car.

When we got inside, Edward and I immediately noticed that the front of the stairwell was covered in wrapping paper from the railing to the floor. A giant bow was on it so that it looked like a huge present.

"What's this?" Edward asked, setting Clara's stuff down and her on the floor. She slowly walked around, sniffing her new settings.

"Your Christmas gift," Mrs. Cullen replied.

"Mine?" He asked, confused.

"Yours. Go ahead and open it," Mr. Cullen urged him.

He looked at me for some clue, but I shrugged, just as confused as him.

Edward reached the bottom of the stairs and grabbed a corner of the wrapping paper, tearing it away gently. He pulled harder, tossing pieces of paper on the floor as he went.

When he was done, he sat back, and we were all silent as he took in what was before him.

Against the wall going up the staircase was a railing, at the bottom of it a chair.

"Mom, dad," Edward said in shock.

"We want you to have full access to the house again. This way, if you want to, you can move back into your old room upstairs. We've already had the bathroom updated for you. And a second wheelchair is upstairs for you to use. The stairlift will help you move up and down now," Mrs. Cullen explained.

"This is incredible. You guys, I...thank you," Edward said, turning to his mom who, like Alice and me, had tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Merry Christmas, son," Carlisle said, clearing away the emotion in his throat.

Edward turned to me, a smile on his face, and I leaned down to kiss his temple.

"Now you can see my room, too," he whispered.

* * *

The next morning, my dad and I took our time waking up. I made some homemade biscuits and sausage gravy for us, giving him a taste of southern Christmas.

He built a fire and turned the TV to Elf playing in the background while we grabbed our presents for each other from under the tree.

He even filled my stocking with candy, socks, and a pair of leather gloves.

"You go first," I told him, taking a sip of my steaming mug of coffee.

My dad, never one to shy away from presents, opened the big box in his lap.

"Bella, no way!" He exclaimed.

"You always talk about how much fun you have with the one at the station. Now you have one for here," I told him.

He looked in awe at his new PlayStation 3. He was always talking about how much fun the football and racing games were. I used some of my savings to splurge on him this year, because I hadn't always been and may not always be able to every year.

"This is too much, Bells," he said.

"Want me to take it back then?" I joked.

I laughed as he pulled it closer to him without even realizing.

When it was my turn, I was thrilled to open my new Keurig machine and the four different packs of k-cups that dad got to go with it.

"This is awesome! Thank you, daddy!" I told him.

He also got me gift cards to some of my favorite stores, declaring that he just didn't know what to get me and wanted me to pick out stuff I wanted.

"It's all perfect. I love it," I told him honestly.

"There's, uh, one more there for you," he told me, motioning to a small, flat box I hadn't noticed at first.

I went to the tree and picked it up, moving back to the couch to sit and open it.

Once I got the wrapping paper off and pulled up the lid, I found a voucher for an airline ticket, good for anytime in the next year, to Jacksonville.

"What's this?" I asked, not sure exactly what he was implying. Was he sending me back?

"Bells, I know you haven't talked to your mom since Thanksgiving. But honey, that's not right. You two are best friends. I want you to go, whenever you're ready, to visit her and make amends. It doesn't have to be right away," my dad explained.

"Dad, what she did...the things she said—"

"Were completely out of line. I know that. She knows that, too. I've talked to her a few times since. She feels terrible for what happened, and she's desperate to talk to you again. She knows she messed up. She wants to apologize. But I told her I wasn't going to force you. That when or if you were ready, you'd talk to her on your own terms. I just thought, maybe, if you did decide you wanted to, you might want to do it in person. Take a long weekend to go see her," he finished.

"Wait, so you're not sending me back to Florida for good?" I asked.

"What? No!" He said.

As if on cue, Pretzel came padding down the stairs, the bell on his new bow tie jingling with every movement.

"I'd miss him too much," dad joked. I tossed a crumpled piece of wrapping paper at him with a laugh.

"But really, baby. Just think about it," he said.

I did think about it, most of the morning. I wasn't quite ready to go see her, and I'd need to hear more from her that she was sorry before I flew all the way there. But I could admit that for as seriously messed up as her actions had been that night, I had been wrong, too. I should have told her about Edward, let her know more about him and what he'd been through. I didn't know if it would have helped, but it would have been better than catching her by complete surprise.

As my dad and I got ready to head to the Cullen's house that afternoon, I glanced at my phone and decided that in the spirit of Christmas, I'd extend the olive branch.

 _Merry Christmas. I hope you have a good day._

 _-Love, Bella_

We weren't going to repair our relationship overnight, but hopefully it was a start.

* * *

 **I feel I should state that I do NOT advocate animals as gifts. In this situation, Bella and Esme, along with the rest of Edward's family, made every effort to be ready to take in a pet. But please, don't surprise people with pets as gifts. More often than not, there is no preparation for them and the animals end up back in shelters.**

 **Tell me about the best gift you've ever received, for holiday, birthday, or otherwise. Mine was from my husband, before we were married. I was born four days before Christmas and always joked with my parents because my sister had several "Baby's first Christmas" ornaments and I had none. My husband got a baby picture from my mom and surprised me with one while we were dating. Made the whole family cry!**


	13. Chapter 13

**I have no good excuses for why this is so late, other than to say work and life got busy. But I hope you all find this worth the wait and enjoy it!**

 **The Lemonade Stand rec'd this little story again, and I am, as ever, incredibly grateful to them for finding us worthy of being shared.**

 **To my amazing beta, Chicsarah, you are one of my favorite people on earth and the friendship I never knew I was missing. I have only the fandom to thank for you, and I love you!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or these characters.**

* * *

"Five...six...ugh, seven!" I groaned, feeling the sweat bead up on my forehead as I struggled to hold the bar above my head.

"Come on, babe, you can do it. Give me three more," Edward encouraged.

I eased the bar back down to my chest, took a deep breath, and pushed.

"I can't, Edward. I can't do anymore," I whined, desperate to put the bar back on the rack.

"Two more, love. You can. You can do it," he said confidently.

I sighed, squinted my eyes, and somehow pushed through two more reps before I moved the bar back to set it on the rack. Edward used his hands to help me ease it down.

I sat up, feeling the sweat drip down my neck under my shirt and ponytail.

"You make that look so easy," I said.

"Bella, you did great! This is only your second session, and you were already able to add ten pounds of weight to the bar. The bar, itself, is already 45 pounds. That's amazing," Edward said.

"You can lift like three times that much," I pouted, taking a sip from my bottle of water.

"I've been lifting a lot longer. And I use my arms more," he shrugged, nodding to his hands that were resting against the wheels of his chair.

"And you're a boy," I joked.

"Psh, that's got nothing to do with it. I've seen plenty of women at the gym who can out-lift Emmett," Edward shrugged.

"Okay coach, what next?" I asked.

"Let's do some tricep curls to finish off today's workout. Then next time, we can work legs. I'll live vicariously through you," he joked.

I frowned and narrowed my eyes at him.

"Crap, sorry. Old habits and all," he said.

I just nodded, thinking back to the weekend before.

We'd spent New Year's Eve with our friends, sitting around the Cullen's living room with silly 2018 glasses and hats, drinking sparkling grape juice and watching the ball drop. Clara was curled up in Edward's lap, a place she'd rarely left since the day she got here. We took her little chair off of her and just let her relax when we could, knowing she preferred to sleep without it.

We'd all gone around and shared our New Year's Resolutions, though some didn't take it as seriously as Edward and I were trying to.

"I'm going to read one book a month every month this year," Emmett declared.

Emmett wasn't as concerned with his schoolwork as most of us, and even though Rosalie was an avid reader, Emmett admitted that he couldn't remember the last time he'd finished a book. He said Sparknotes and his "hot, smart girlfriend" got him through high school. But he said he wanted to try, so we encouraged it.

"I don't have any this year," Alice said.

"How about resolving to clean your room more?" Mrs. Cullen joked.

Alice rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to start an Instagram for my makeup tutorials and try to get a like from Patrick Starr," Eric said confidently.

"SpongeBob's friend?" Emmett asked.

"No, numbnuts, he's a makeup vlogger," Alice said.

Jessica and I had been encouraging Eric to start sharing his talent as of late. He really could blend makeup better than anyone I knew, and with his sass and whit, he'd be a great online personality.

Most of the others didn't have much they were resolving to do. Jessica said she was resolving to get a boyfriend this year. Angela shrugged and said she just wanted not to be so shy around strangers. Rosalie was working to compose her own original song before the end of the year, and Jasper was resolving to grow a mustache. Alice wrinkled her nose at that, but based on the smattering of barely visible hairs on Jasper's chin, I didn't think she had much to worry about.

Mr. and Mrs. Cullen both lamented that they were too old for resolutions.

I'd decided my resolution would be that to get stronger. I was thin and weak. I wanted to ton up and feel strong. Edward said he'd help me lift weights in the garage gym and let me try the protein supplements he had.

Edward hadn't made one in public, declaring with a laugh that "to walk again" was probably too lofty of a goal for this year.

After that, I'd gone pretty silent the rest of the evening. I'd kissed him when the ball dropped, and I'd whispered that I loved him when I left to go home shortly after. But I was battling a deep hurt, thinking about Edward's comment about walking again.

I knew it was something he desperately wanted. I also knew that it wasn't a guarantee, or even a probability, at this point. He was still in physical therapy twice a week, every week, working on his strength and moving his legs.

When I got home later that night—or rather, early that morning—I'd had a text from Edward. He was apologizing for what he'd said, knowing it was the reason I was quiet when I left.

We'd talked until the sun rose, and by the end of our conversation, Edward had made a private resolution between the two of us. He was resolving not to make jokes at his own expense, not to put himself down and say things that would make others uncomfortable.

"You're forgiven," I told him, coming back to the present and moving from the weight bench to the free weights.

"You're barely breaking a sweat, love. Time to kick it into gear," he said. I groaned, my arms already sore, knowing I was going to pay for this big time.

* * *

The next day, I got to lunch after a truly exhausting morning. I sat my stuff down, not even bothering to dig out my lunch from my book bag, and flopped into the chair, leaning down to rest my head on my arm.

"What's wrong, B?"

"Everything," I groaned, muffled through my arms as I refused to look up.

"Aww, does someone need a Hufflehug?" I heard Emmett's voice as he sat at the table.

"Come again?" Edward asked, and I felt his hand softly touch my back as he began to rub soothing circles.

"Forgive him. He took a Buzzfeed quiz this morning and found out he's a Hufflepuff," Rosalie said, rolling her eyes.

"Sweet, I'm a Ravenclaw!" Jasper said, high-fiving Emmett as he took his seat by Alice.

"Bella, what's wrong?" Edward asked quietly while the others launched into a discussion about their Hogwarts houses.

"I made a D on my calculus test," I mumbled.

"The one from yesterday? Man he graded those fast," Edward said.

"Not the point, Edward!" I snapped, looking up at him.

"You're right, sorry. Well, how bad will it effect your overall average in the class?" He asked.

"I don't know yet. I was barely hanging on with a B. I can't imagine this will do anything to help that," I wined.

"Okay, well that's okay. We can get the grade up. I'm pretty good in calculus. Maybe I can tutor you?" Edward asked.

"How embarrassing. My smart boyfriend has to tutor his dumb girlfriend," I groaned, not even caring that I was being melodramatic.

"Sorry you can't be perfect at everything, love," Edward smiled and winked.

"Yeah, like you," I said, narrowing my eyes.

I could tell he wanted to say something back. Something about his legs or his inability to walk or do certain things. But he stayed quiet. In fact, the whole table got quiet as we watched the doors of the lunchroom open.

Tyler walked in, his book bag slung over one shoulder.

Lauren, who had been more quiet than usual since we got back to school, sucked in a breath and went stiff. I saw Eric reach his hand under the table and grasp hers lightly, Angela leaning in from the other side to shield her.

Tyler walked towards the table, towards Mike, who was sitting beside Jessica.

"I do not fucking think so," Jessica said when Tyler went to reach for the chair across from her.

Tyler had the nerve to look angry for a split second before he glanced up at Mike, who just shook his head.

"Seriously, man?" Tyler asked him, tossing his hands up in exasperation.

"Seriously," Mike said, his voice hard and firm.

Tyler just looked up and down the table at all of us, casting his eyes to his teammates, and then to Lauren. Under his glare, she turned her head and looked down at her lap.

"Whatever," Tyler said, walking away and towards a table where a lot of the other football players were.

"Shit, are you okay?" Eric asked Lauren, letting her hand go and reaching to rub her back.

"I'm fine," she whispered, her breath shaky. "I'm fine," she said again, reassuring us or herself, I wasn't sure.

* * *

"Tyler was back at school today," I said to my dad that night as we ate the chicken and noodle casserole I'd made.

"Yeah, I knew that little bastard would be back soon. Everyone okay? Your friend Lauren okay?" Dad asked, looking up from his plate.

"Yeah, she will be. I just don't get why he's allowed back. Shouldn't he be expelled or something? He literally tried to rape her, dad. He sexually assaulted her!" I said, my voice rising in anger.

"I know, Bells. I know. But as far as the law saw it, it wasn't rape," my dad explained.

"Well what was it then?"

"Look, Tyler confessed. He confirmed that the video was him, and he pleaded for a lesser punishment. The judge slapped him with a $10,000 fine for forcible sexual contact without consent," my dad explained.

"That's it? His parents are loaded. That's like one less vacation to Vail for them this year," I said, exasperated.

"I know, Bells. And if I'd had my way, the punishment would have been more severe ," my dad shrugged.

"So what about school?" I asked.

"Well, the incident itself didn't happen at school, so their hands were tied on that one. They ended up issuing a seven day suspension from school for showing inappropriate content when he shared the video with his friends," my dad said.

"Unbelievable. His parents pay off his fine and he gets a seven day extended vacation from school. Meanwhile, Lauren gets embarrassment, gossip, and years of therapy," I said, standing from the table to dump the rest of my dinner, suddenly lacking any appetite.

"I know, kid. It sucks. It really, really sucks," dad said, shaking his head and pushing his half-eaten plate away from him and sitting back in his chair. His face looked contemplative and sad.

"I'm just afraid Tyler will do it again. Or others will see that he got away with it and try it," I said quietly. I wasn't so much worried for myself, because I knew I had an amazing boyfriend who loved and respected me. But I also knew that I had a lot of future ahead of me, one that would take me to different jobs and opportunities. Boys like Tyler grew up to be men, men with privilege, power, and the ability to harm.

"For his sake, he better not. He got off light this time. I don't know that a second round of this can be paid off as easily," dad said. But I didn't know if he believed that. Or if I believed it. As long as there was money, power, jobs to be held over heads, this kind of thing would continue to happen. Until women could speak up and not be afraid.

I fell asleep that night with a heart full of conflict, sad for my friends and any men and women who'd endured indignity, brutality, a breach of trust, pain beyond compare. But also relief that in my 18 years, I'd been fortunate enough never to have been through the same. That it hadn't effected me, too.

* * *

A week later, things were returning somewhat to normal. At least as far as appearances went. We were all excited because it was the day before a teacher workday, which meant we had Friday off and a three day weekend ahead of us. We were also three weeks away from the senior ski trip.

Edward and I were going tomorrow to PA to stick up for the trip.

Eric and Jessica were already regular skiers, their families going often in winter. Rose had already confirmed she was going but not skiing, and Emmett was planning to snowboard.

Angela and Ben weren't going, and since Alice and Jasper were Sophomores, they couldn't go.

Coming from two different, very sunny places, I barely had clothes warm enough for Forks, much less snow covered mountains.

"Lauren, you coming on the trip?" Eric asked her before he took a bite of his pizza.

"Oh, uh, no, I don't think so," she said.

"Did you miss the cutoff? I heard there was some extra spaces. I'm sure you could still get in," Jessica explained.

"No, I...I actually already paid. I think I'm going to ask for a refund, though," she said softly.

"Girl, this is a senior right of passage! You have to come!" Eric said excitedly.

"I don't know. I just don't think it's...a good idea," she said, and then her eyes cut across the room to where Tyler was sitting with a bunch of other guys from the football team, laughing and carrying on.

"Hey, Lauren. I'll be there. I won't let that piece of shit hurt you. None of us will," Mike spoke up, from where he was sitting unusually close to Jessica.

Jessica glanced at him and grinned, pride in her eyes.

"Damn straight," Emmett said around a giant mouth full of sandwich.

"They're right," I told her. "We've got your back. All of us," I said, glancing around our table of friends.

"You can even bunk with Jess and me," Eric said.

"What? How tha heck are y'all going to be bunking together?" I asked.

"Well, Duck Dynasty," Eric started, and I rolled my eyes but realized how southern I'd sounded. "Every year Banner assigns a student to hand out cabin keys once they get there. He heads straight to the resort lounge to drink the weekend away," Eric said.

"It's true. I heard Banner stays blitzed the entire weekend," Rose said.

"That doesn't seem true but okay," I shrugged.

"Anyway," Eric started again, glaring at us for interrupting. "He's already assigned me as the key attendant, so I can make a few switches if need be. Jess and I will share a room, and Lauren will come stay with us," Eric said.

"Wait, who were you supposed to be bunking with?" I asked.

"Mike. You can have a room to yourself!" Eric exclaimed to Mike, who was too busy having a quiet conversation with Jessica to pay much attention. "Unless..." he said, staring pointedly at the two of them.

"Huh?" Jessica asked when she realized the attention was on them.

"Nothing, nothing," Eric grinned.

"What about us? Does that mean you can switch our rooms so I can bunk with Rosie?" Emmett asked, wiggling his eyebrows at them. Rose turned a deep shade of red and pushed her glasses up her nose, which she often did when she was nervous.

"Yep. And Sweet Home Alabama over here can shack up with her Prince Edward," Eric said, and I coughed around the sip of water I'd just taken.

"You okay, baby?" Edward said beside me, gently patting my back.

"Fine," I gasped around more coughs.

The conversation dissolved into something else and I turned to Edward, tuning the rest of them out.

"We don't have to, you know," he said.

"Have to what?" I asked.

"To bunk together. If you'd feel more comfortable with Rose, I'll make sure Emmett stays with me," he shrugged.

"Edward, are you kidding? An entire weekend to stay with you, cuddling in a bed together? That sounds...perfect," I breathed, looking into his shining eyes.

"It does," he nodded, leaning in to place a light kiss on my lips.

* * *

The next morning, I pulled up to the Cullen's house and smiled when Edward opened the door before my car was even in park.

I watched as he rolled down the ramp and over to my car, opening the door and climbing in before pulling his chair in and easing it over the center console and to the back seat.

"Hey sweetheart," he smiled at me before leaning in for a kiss.

"Hey," I grinned. "You good with PA? I just need some travel stuff and some long-johns to wear under my ski clothes," I said. I knew I could rent a ski bib there if I planned to actually try skiing, though I hadn't made up my mind on that yet.

"Sure, that's fine with me," Edward nodded, resting his hand on my thigh as I drove with both hands, trying not to be distracted by the sudden surge of heat scorching through my body from limb to limb.

"Where is everyone?" I asked, noticing the cars were gone.

"Alice is over at Jasper's, and my parents are at work," Edward said.

"Oh, right. Only schools are off today," I said more to myself.

"'Mmhmm," he nodded.

"I need a job," I said, again more to myself but realizing it was out loud.

"That's, uh, actually something I've been meaning to talk to you about," Edward started nervously.

"What, that I need a job?" I asked confused.

"No, no, about me getting a job," he continued.

"Oh. Okay, cool. Where?" I asked, wondering who he'd found that was hiring. Forks wasn't really known for its bustling job market.

"The hospital, actually. They were needing someone to work the front desk at the rehab center in the afternoons. Since I have early dismissal from school anyway, I can put in about three or four hours a day. And they said I may even get to help do some physical therapy training," he said excitedly.

"Wow, that's amazing!" I was genuinely happy for him, knowing that he, like me, would appreciate having a source of income.

"What about weekends?" I asked, suddenly wondering if this would cut into our weekend time together.

"The rehab center is only opened until noon on Saturdays, and I'm already there for my own physical therapy, so no weekends," Edward shrugged, smiling.

"That's really great, Edward. I'm excited for you," I told him, glancing over to smile before putting my eyes back on the road.

"Thank you, love," he said.

"Now if we can just find me something. You think the diner is hiring?" I asked.

"Actually, I heard mom mention to dad that she needed someone part time for the front counter at the pharmacy. The lady who works there now is also the assistant to the town coroner, so she gets called away a lot," he explained.

"I'm sorry, did you say assistant to the...coroner?" I asked, balking at the very thought.

"Yep," he said, his lips popping. "It's actually Karen Fields' mom. You know, from school?"

"Yeah, I know Karen. So what exactly does her mom do?" I asked.

"Well basically, anytime the coroner is called to a...scene...she goes, too. Has to do a lot of the paperwork and stuff," Edward said.

"So she sees the...accidents?" I asked, my knuckles clutching the steering wheel.

"Yeah, some pretty bad ones, too. She told me about this guy one time who got in a fight with his girlfriend while he was drunk and shot himself with a shotgun," Edward said.

"What in the...how?" I screeched.

"He used his toes to pull the trigger," Edward said.

"What the FUCK!" I yelled, horrified.

"Yeah, it was rough. She's seen way worse though," Edward said, seemingly unfazed.

"How does that not freak you out?" I asked.

"I mean, it's sad and gross. But it's interesting to me. All medical stuff is kind of interesting to me," he told me, and I felt at that moment like I was meeting him for the first time. I had no idea he was or would be interested in doing anything medically. Especially considering how his life had, as of late, been spent doing a lot of uncomfortable and risky medical things.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah. I've been really into medical shows and stuff lately," he said.

I snorted.

"What, like Grey's Anatomy?" I joked.

"Hah, no, although I've heard good things about Shonda Rhimes shows. Alice and Jasper watch that one with the really hot lady. Something Washington?"

"Kerry Washington," I confirmed.

"Yeah. Anyway, I've been watching more of the ones that contain surgical procedures. And actually, a lot of that show about people getting bariatric surgery. I think I might like to do that," he said.

"Be a surgeon?" I asked.

"Be a bariatric surgeon. Help change lives with surgery," he said.

"Isn't that just like the easy way out for weight loss?"

"Naw, not really. My aunt had it three years ago. She got sick a lot and has to constantly take vitamins to keep her levels normal. But it helped her get back to a healthy weight and helped a lot of the health problems she had. She always says she'd do it again in a heartbeat," Edward said.

I was learning so much about him during this drive, and it made me love him a little more.

"Buttttt, you don't see many surgeons in wheelchairs, so that's probably a pipe dream," Edward said.

I cut my eyes at him hard then.

"I wasn't putting myself down!" He said, throwing his arms up in surrender. "I'm being honest."

"Edward, there's always a way. Always," I told him, steering the wheel with my left hand so I could use my right to hold his, which he'd put back on my leg.

Three hours later, we'd had lunch and been by a few stores to return some things from Christmas. My last stop was Target to use up a gift card I had.

When I turned into the parking lot, Edward looked up from his phone.

"What are we doing here?" He asked.

"I just have to grab a few things for the trip. I have a gift...card..." I trailed off at the look on his face. A couple of seconds later I remembered why.

"Crap, Edward, I forgot. You can just stay in the car if you want. Or...I can go to Walmart," I said to him.

"Bella, it's fine. No big deal," he said, but I could see that it was a bigger deal than he claimed.

"Are you sure? What if she's...working?" I asked.

"Then so be it. I don't have any feelings for her anymore, if that's what you're worried about," he said.

"Of course I'm not! I just know that you haven't seen her in a long time, and that she hurt you badly. I know if it were me, I'd feel the same nerves about it," I said.

"Bella, I love you. You are so much more than I deserve. Thank you for always knowing how I feel even when I don't realize it myself," he told me, leaning over to kiss me gently.

"I love you, too," I told him.

We made our way through the store, ticking off the things on my list and tossing in a few snacks and other things for the afternoon we planned to spend in his room watching movies later.

We'd gotten through the entire store, with no sight of Tanya. I wondered if she was off that day, or maybe if she didn't work there anymore. Briefly I wondered if she was too pregnant to work or had had the baby.

Edward helped me unload the shopping cart onto the belt, his eyes making quick glances around the front of the store for any sign of her.

"Edward, relax," I whispered, and put my hand on his shoulder.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

We finished paying and grabbed our bags as I put the cart up with the others.

We were out in the parking lot loading our stuff into my car when we heard a soft, "Edward?"

We both turned to see his very pregnant ex-girlfriend stepping out of a white Forerunner, wearing a coat over a red blouse.

She was staring pointedly at Edward, a nervous half smile on her face. She was prettier than I remembered, her makeup flawless and her thick strawberry blonde hair falling in perfect curls down her back.

"Tanya, hey," Edward said, rolling his chair towards her as she walked towards us.

"How are you?" She asked, glancing down to his legs quickly, as if she half expected that he wouldn't still be in his wheelchair.

"I'm...good. Really good," Edward said, looking up at her with a mix of something. Not longing, but nostalgia maybe?

I briefly considered what a bombshell she is and must have been when they dated, wondering how I could possibly compare. But I stopped that train of thought and chided myself. How could I fuss at Edward for his self-deprecation if I was doing it, too? I knew Edward loved me and thought I was beautiful. He told me all of the time.

"That's good! And this is...?" She asked, nodding to me as I stood quietly behind my boyfriend.

"This is Isabella. Bella. My girlfriend," Edward said, beaming up at me proudly.

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Tanya," she said.

"Nice to meet you, too," I said.

"Do you go to Forks High? I thought I knew everyone there but you aren't familiar," she said.

"I moved there this year to live with my dad. I'm from Florida," I explained.

"Oh, that's nice," she grinned like she didn't really care but was too uncomfortable to say anything else.

"So how's G? And how's...the baby?" Edward asked, nodding to her round stomach.

"Garrett? He's good. Just started working at the tire plant in Sequim. I'm taking classes now to get my radiology license," she said. "Of course, the clinicals will have to wait until she comes..." she trailed off, nodding to her stomach with a chuckle.

"That's good. I'm glad you guys are good," Edward said. And he seemed genuine.

"I'm just going to...give you guys some privacy," I said. I felt like an outsider on a whole different part of Edward's life, and I was uncomfortable.

I walked to my car and cranked it, turning the heat and music up.

I started scrolling my phone, telling myself I wasn't at all curious or jealous of what was happening outside of the car but knowing that even Facebook couldn't distract me now.

I heard the passenger door open a few minutes later, Edward moving himself into the car and then folding his chair in.

"Sorry about that," he said sheepishly.

"It's okay," I told him. "Are...you okay?" I asked.

"I am. I really am," he smiled and nodded, taking my hand in his and bringing it up to his lips. I smiled back, believing him. His eyes were always so honest, and they were showing nothing but the truth.

* * *

"Alright, this movie sucks," I told him.

"Yeah, it kind of does," he laughed, turning off whatever random pick we'd found on Netflix.

We were in my new favorite spot, his old bedroom.

The first time I'd come up here, after he'd been able to use his chair lift to come up the stairs again for the first time in a year, I had finally seen his real room.

The walls were a deep navy blue, probably making it seem smaller than it was but also making it dark and cozy. He had a desk up here, too, that was covered in books and his laptop.

There was a bookshelf in the corner that held several trophies, and a huge TV mounted to the wall across from the bed.

There was a large window beside his bed, with shear curtains over it. His bed had a soft, down comforter and was perhaps the coziest spot I'd ever been.

Currently we were laying in it with Clara curled up at our feet.

Edward was on his back with his arm around me, and I was snuggled into his chest. The house was quiet, Alice still at Jasper's and his parents still at work for a few more hours.

"We could watch something else?" He suggested.

"Or we could...nap..." I said, looking up at him with a grin.

"Hmm, a...nap...doesn't sound too bad," he said with a waggle of his eyebrows.

I leaned up and let him dominate my lips with his, feeling his tongue glide into my mouth and meet mine with the familiar, toe curling softness it always did.

I sighed, feeling complete as I pushed as close as possible to him.

I ran my hand down his chest and under the hem of his shirt, gliding my fingers up slowly onto his bare stomach.

He hissed and then chuckled at the contact.

"You're fingers are freezing," he whispered against my lips, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me closer still.

I tugged at his shirt and backed away for a second so that he could lean up and pull it off.

I tossed it to the end of the bed and then felt a movement before hearing the gentle clinking it Clara's collar.

"Oh, I forgot you were down there, baby girl!" I told her.

She looked at me with a "bitch, please" glare before turning away.

"Maybe I should...well, I don't want to put her outside. What if she hurts herself on the stairs?"

"Set her in her crate. She naps in there all of the time. Just cover it with her blanket and she will go right to sleep," Edward suggested.

I got up and climbed over him, getting off of the bed and reaching for the sleeping dachshund.

"Hey, sweetie," I said to her, smiling as she leaned up and kissed my nose.

"Take a nap, darling. We'll do some PT exercises later," I whispered to her. "I love you," I said, giving her a soft kiss on her wet nose before setting her on her plush dog bed in the crate and closing it, draping her blanket over it.

I heard her move a little to adjust before she was silent.

I turned back to Edward, who was leaning up on his right elbow, shirtless and in his jeans, looking unfairly handsome.

"Two things," he said to me with a smirk. "First, I love you and your love for her," he told me sincerely, nodding his head towards the crate in the corner.

"Second?" I asked.

"Second, you're wearing entirely too many clothes," he said, leaning back and crossing his hands behind his head, eyeing me up and down.

"Hmm, what to do about that?" I smirked, walking towards him slowly, wondering if I was being at all sexy or just looking like a dork.

"I can think of a few things," he growled, low and seductive.

I reached for the hem of my T-shirt and pulled it up slowly, feeling the cool air of the room hit my bare stomach. I lifted it up and over my head so that I was standing in just my leggings and a black, lacy bra.

I may or may not have selected my underwear in anticipation of being alone with Edward today.

I looked up and made eye contact with Edward as my thumbs hooked into the waistband of my cotton leggings, never taking my eyes off of his as I slid them down my legs, revealing the matching black lace thong I'd worn.

"Holy fuck," Edward whispered when I turned around, my long hair falling down my back as I turned to look back at him and reached behind me to unhook my bra.

I glanced at Edward's crotch and noticed a large bulge. Without breaking eye contact, and without a hint of embarrassment, he reached down and gingerly stroked himself, watching as I dropped the bra to the ground and turned around, showing him nearly all of me.

"You're so sexy, baby. Get over here," Edward said, and I wasted no time walking back to the bed and climbing over him.

I stopped when I was on top of him, straddling him and placing my hands on his chest.

"You have no idea," he said, rolling his eyes back as I moved over him, setting me on fire when his erection met my lace covered center, "how fucking gorgeous you are," he concluded, reaching up to cup my bare breasts.

I rolled off of him and to his side, and he reached a hand over to cup my head and pull me to him to kiss me, his hand stroking my cheek softly before gliding down my body, over my rib cage and past my hip, reaching around to cup my bare butt cheek.

He cupped it a few more times before easing his hand around and down into my panties, his fingers pushing between my lips and finding me incredibly wet and warm for him.

"Oh, fuck. I love how wet you are," he moaned in my ear. I reached my hand over and cupped him over his jeans, feeling him twitch in my hand.

"Edward," I whimpered as his fingers found just the right spot and he twirled and rubbed until I was shaking beside him.

"Yes! Ooooh, yes!" I cried, riding out the intense orgasm.

Edward pulled his hand from my panties and looked me directly in the eye, sticking the two fingers that had just been in me up to his mouth and sucking them clean.

"Mmm," he moaned.

I felt so sexy, so beautiful in that moment. Never had I been so appreciated and loved by a guy before. Everything about Edward was different from my past experiences. It was incredible.

"You're turn," I whispered, sitting up and pulling away from Edward.

I moved to his bare feet and reached up to pop open the button and zipper of his jeans.

"Is this okay?" I asked.

"Yeah," he nodded.

I slid the jeans down, struggling a bit since he couldn't lift up to get them off of his butt but finally succeeding in getting them and his boxers down around his ankles and off of him, tossing them to the floor.

His hard erection sprung free, the tip glistening.

Before immediately reaching for it, I took time to look at his legs. A lot of times, people in wheelchairs seemed to have smaller legs, weakened over time.

I wasn't sure if it was because he still did so much therapy or if it was because he hadn't been paralyzed as long, but his legs still had some surprising definition to them.

For a second, I felt sad looking at how strong they looked like they should be, but knowing they had failed him. This perfect, brilliant, beautiful boy whose own body had let him down.

"You're so beautiful," I told him, looking up at him. He looked nervous and vulnerable being more exposed to me than he had ever been, letting me look at the one part of him that he kept hidden behind pants and jokes and self-deprecation and sadness.

"Edward," I said to him, prompting him to look up at me. "Beautiful," I whispered to him, letting my hands trail up the inside of his calves on both legs, dragging my fingertips up and down, feeling the soft hair.

I looked down, concentrating as I eased up, circling his kneecaps and gliding over his thighs, then back down again.

Just as I moved my hand back down towards his ankle and to the side of his foot, it happened.

It was small, so small that had it been anyone else I may not have even noticed. But I did notice. And so did Edward.

Edward's left foot, the entire bottom half of his leg, moved gently, a twitch as my hand reached the tender flesh where his ankle ended and his foot began.

"Holy crap!" I exclaimed, looking up at him.

"Do it again," he whispered, leaning up and watching me.

I rubbed gently up and down his legs, trying both feet and watching as his legs remained still.

"Come on," I whispered, gently stroking him, hoping to see it again.

"I don't think I can make it happen again," I told him sadly as I looked up at him after several minutes.

"It's okay," he breathed. "Bella, it's okay. Because it means all isn't lost. It means some of the repair work they did to the nerves is somehow working. It means there's a chance that if I have..." he stoped short as I looked at him confused.

"If you have what?" I asked.

"Bella, I...there's something I need to tell you," Edward started nervously.

"What? Is...is everything okay?" I asked, my heart thundering in my chest.

"Yes, yes it's fine. It's...well we've found this doctor. In the UK. He, uh, he was able to repair...this guy's spine. The guy, after several months and with the help of braces and stuff...Bella, he was able to walk again," Edward said.

"What? But...how? Are you going to try to talk to this doctor? All the way in the UK?" I asked, the word vomit of questions pouring out of me.

"Well, we kind of already have. My dad emailed him and we've talked on the phone and through FaceTime. He told us exactly what he did for the other guy. His injury was in his upper spine. He'd been stabbed and part of his spinal cord severed," he explained, and I shuddered.

"But yours was lower in your spine. A break, right?" I asked.

"Right, and while they were able to reconnect some nerves, nothing was completely repaired and I still can't use my legs," he said and I nodded, knowing this part of it.

"So what can this doctor do? How did he fix the other guy?" I asked.

"Well, he's figured out a way to implant regenerative cells. Basically cells they use from another part of me are implanted in my spine and will start to regrow and bind my spine back together. Kind of like a bridge over the spine," Edward explained.

"Whoa," I said, dumfounded. I shivered, realizing I was still basically naked as my boyfriend and I had an incredibly important conversation about his future ability to walk.

"Here," Edward said, tossing me his T-shirt. I slid it on and handed him his pants so he could pull them up.

I snuggled into him on the bed and laid there silently for a few minutes, running over and over in my head what Edward had just told me.

"So, this surgeon, you're going to go meet him?" I asked.

"Actually, he's going to come here. Dad talked to the chief of staff at Seattle Regional, and they are going to host him as a visiting physician this summer so that he can run more tests and see if I'm a candidate for this," Edward said.

"So it's no guarantee?" I asked.

"No, definitely no guarantee. In fact, even if I am a candidate, the chances that this works are like less than ten percent," Edward said.

"But it could..."

"It could," he confirmed.

"Wow. So there's a chance that you could—"

"That I could, with the help of braces and therapy and a lot of time and patience, that I could use my legs again. There's a chance that I could...that I could walk again."

* * *

 **My husband used to work the front counter of a small pharmacy in town, and the other lady who he sometimes worked with or covered shifts for? She really did work for the coroner and told him some pretty gruesome stuff. Thank goodness for people in the world willing to do that kind of work. I am not one of them.**

 **The surgical procedure is very real, and it really was performed and successful on a stabbing victim in the UK.**


	14. Chapter 14

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter and it makes up for how long it took me to post.**

 **Thank you to Chicsarah, as always, for making this worth reading.**

 **Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable characters herein. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

"Okay okay, shhh, my turn," Eric said, hushing us as we laughed, just one of the many sources of noise coming from the crowded bus.

He, Jessica, Rosalie, Emmett, Edward and I all sat around the seats on the back of the bus. Edward had moved to sit beside me, his chair folded up and placed behind him beside the wheelchair ramp. Eric and Jessica were in front of us, and Rosalie and Emmett were across from us. We were on the way to Hurricane Ridge, the ski resort for our senior weekend ski trip.

We'd left as soon as school let out and were about halfway into the two hour ride.

To pass the time, we were playing "Never Have I Ever," and I was learning quite a bit about my friends.

"Okay, hmm," Eric said, tapping his chin.

"Never have I ever...cross dressed," he said, and then put a finger down to indicate that he had.

Rose, Edward, Jessica, and I kept our fingers up, but to our surprise, Emmett put his down.

"Do tell," Edward said, to a now blushing Emmett.

"It wasn't recent!" He exclaimed. "I was six, and my older cousins loved to play dress-up. They put me in a dress and my mom's heals," he mumbled.

"Aww, I bet that was precious," Rosalie said sweetly, but turned to us and mouthed "oh my gosh" with a laugh.

"Anyway, I was basically an infant. My turn," Emmett declared. "Okay, never have I ever..." he started, glancing around from Rose to Jessica to me. "Never have I ever kissed a girl," he said smugly.

Edward, Emmett, and Eric all put their fingers down. And to our surprise, Rosalie did, too.

"Who'd you kiss?" Jessica asked Eric.

"Remember Victoria, that went to middle school with us?" He asked her.

"Oh, yeah! I forgot she was your first girlfriend," Jessica said.

"Yeah. That's when I was still trying desperately to make myself straight," Eric shrugged.

Things got quiet for a second before he chimed back in.

"But I'm out and fabulous now!" He said with an overly dramatic snap of his fingers, making us all laugh.

"Okay, whose turn is it next?" I asked.

"Wait a minute, I believe someone else put her finger down, too," Emmett said, looking at his girlfriend excitedly.

"Emmett, you know this story. You've heard it a million times," Rose said to him, rolling her eyes.

"But I love to hear it," he said.

"Rosalie Hale, I'm surprised!" Jessica laughed.

"Well, she is a band kid..." Eric said.

"Rose, I swear, if you say 'this one time at band camp'," I said.

"Actually, it was a band camp," she started, before telling us about a round of spin the bottle she and some friends had played. She was a freshman and painfully shy, but she wanted to make friends, so when a junior named Sarah spun and landed on Rose, she didn't know what else to do. She said sat still and let the older girl peck her lips while a bunch of pervy boys cheered around them.

"That's basically it," she shrugged.

"Really?" I asked Emmett. "That's what gets your motor going?" I asked him with a laugh.

"I'm pretty sure Rose can breathe in his general direction and it would get his motor going," Jessica laughed, and we joined in, spending the rest of the trip in much that same way.

* * *

A little over an hour later, the bus pulled to a stop in front of a large hotel. The ground around it was covered in snow, and there were mountains all around.

Far off in the distance, I could see ski lifts and little flecks of people coming down the snow covered hills on skis and snowboards.

"Alright, folks. You will be assigned your room and given one room key. Don't lose it. Remember that the resort has shuttles into town, which you are allowed to take, but there will be a mandatory roll call at each room at 11. Got it?" Mr. Banner said where he stood at the front of the bus.

There were only 29 of us on the trip, as our senior class was pretty small anyway.

Lauren had decided not to come, and thankfully it had been decided that Tyler wasn't allowed to after his indiscretion. It wasn't much of a punishment, but it was a start.

Mike had come, and I'd noticed him glancing back at Jess several times on the bus ride.

The new object of Eric's desire, a football player named Kevin, had been sitting with Mike.

We all climbed out of the bus and stepped into the cold, snowy air. Eric followed Mr. Banner into the main lobby, coming back out a few minutes later with a clipboard and a stack of hotel key cards.

"Katie," Eric said to the small blonde girl pulling her bag from underneath the cargo area of the bus.

"Yes?" She asked politely.

"You're on the list to room with Jessica, but she's staying with me. That work for you?" Eric asked.

"Whatever," Katie shrugged.

"Eric, what about your roommate?" I asked.

"I pulled some strings and got a single room," Eric winked.

"Do I even want to know what you had to do for that?" I asked.

"Pssh, nothing, you perv. There was an odd number of students and I asked. Banner doesn't give a shit as long as he is left alone," Eric laughed.

"Okay, Emmett, Edward, here are your keys. Rosalie, Bella, here are yours," Eric said, ticking down the list as he handed packs of keycards to each pair.

"Everyone sorted?" Eric asked.

"Yes, Dumbledore," Emmett said.

"Dumbledore doesn't sort them, the Sorting Hat does," Edward replied.

"Can you ever take a joke?" Emmett asked him, punching his shoulder.

"I'm just saying, if you're going to make a joke, it should be—"

"Beavis, Butthead! News flash, it wasn't that funny...ahh!" Eric said, and before we could even stop it, he slipped on a patch of ice and went down on his butt.

"Eric!" We all said at once, rushing to his side. Everyone else had already gone in to find their rooms, save for Mike and Kevin.

"Dude, are you okay?" Mike asked as he and Kevin walked over.

"My ankle," Eric groaned. "And my ass!" He whined.

"Any brain damage?" Emmett asked, before Rose elbowed him in the side.

"Bite me," Eric said, and I noticed Kevin looking at him with a grin.

"It's probably sprained. Let's get you inside and we can take a look," Kevin said.

Eric just looked up at him, smiling like his ankle hadn't just twisted unnaturally underneath him.

"Alright big guy, let's go," Kevin said, as he and Mike worked to lift him. With an arm around each of their shoulders, Eric held one leg up behind him and walked slowly with the other leg.

Emmett grabbed Eric's bag for him and walked behind them, and the rest of us followed. We got to the elevators, and surprisingly all fit as we went to the same floor that all of the students were on.

Once the doors opened on the eighth floor, we followed them down to room 864, where Eric and Jessica were bunking.

When we piled inside, Emmett dropped Eric's bag on the floor. Mike and Kevin helped Eric into the bed, sitting him back against the pillows.

"Okay, I need to get your shoe off so I can take a look," Kevin said, reaching to carefully unlace Eric's boot and pull it off.

Eric winced but tried to remain quiet as the heavy shoe came off. Kevin pulled the sock off next and asked Eric to pull the leg of his jeans up.

When he revealed his ankle, we all winced and a few "ouches" and "whoas" could be heard.

His ankle was swollen and rapidly turning several shades of dark purple.

"Definitely a nasty sprain. I don't suppose anyone has an ace bandage?" Kevin asked. We all stared at him blankly.

"Right," Kevin said, sliding his own book bag off of his back and unzipping it.

He pulled out one of his t-shirts, a Forks High shirt with his name and football number on the back.

With seemingly no extra effort at all, he tore it so the bottom half came off and left him with a long strip of fabric.

"Someone see if there is a sewing kit in the bathroom," Kevin said.

"You wouldn't need to sew it back up if you hadn't ripped it," Emmett said matter-of-factly.

"Found one!" Jessica called, coming back and tossing it to Kevin.

"Alright, I'm going to wrap it tight so it might hurt," Kevin told Eric gently.

"Okay," Eric whispered, quieter than I'd ever heard him.

Kevin used the gray strip of shirt and started to wrap it snuggly around Eric's swelling ankle, eventually going under the foot and around a few times before pulling a safety pin from the hotel sewing kit and pinning the material in place.

Eric winced a good bit during the process but never complained.

"We need to elevate it," Kevin said, and Mike tossed him a few of the pillows from the bed. Kevin carefully lifted Eric's leg and placed two pillows under it.

"Try to keep it like that for a while. I'm going to go to my room to put my stuff down and I'll come back with some ice and Tylenol, okay?" Kevin asked, placing his hand on Eric's shoulder and squeezing.

"Okay," Eric said, looking up at Kevin and putting his hand up on top of his.

"Eh hem, we're just gonna...yeah," Emmett said, turning to leave the room, the rest of us following.

Edward and I quietly made our way down the hall to our room, and I used the key to open it.

He'd been given the handicapped room, so everything was easier for him to use.

We set our bags on one of the double beds, knowing we'd be sharing the other.

"So..." Edward said.

"So..." I mimicked, standing there looking at him.

"I think the gang wanted to go get dinner tonight in town," Edward said.

"Yeah, but I feel kind of bad leaving Eric behind," I responded, knowing Eric wouldn't be able to walk around with us.

"Who knows? Maybe Kevin will stay with him..."

"Yeah, what is that?!" I asked, sitting on the bed and watching as Edward peeled off his jacket before moving to sit on the bed with me.

"Dunno. I've never been that close to Kevin, but I've never seen him date anyone either," Edward shrugged.

"Well, Kevin's hot, so good for Eric," I laughed. Edward scowled before flexing his chest under his t-shirt.

"Not as hot as you, even if your toxic masculinity is showing," I laughed.

"Come here," he growled, pulling me into him. We spent the rest of the afternoon making out and napping, knowing we were truly alone.

I knew we both had expectations for how the night would go. I loved him, and I was ready. I was pretty sure he was ready, too, but I was still insanely nervous. We'd done everything but have sex, and neither of us were virgins, but this would be a point we wouldn't come back from. And it was going to be a challenge as far as positions go. But I was ready. So so ready to be with him fully, completely.

* * *

Around 7, we finally pulled ourselves out of the warmth of the bed to meet our friends. We were going to shuttle into town and try a pizza place, promising to bring some food back for Eric and Jessica, who were staying behind.

It took about 40 minutes to get to town because of the added time it took to get Edward into and out of the shuttle. I was just grateful they were wheelchair accessible, because I knew he often worried about things like that before anyone else had a chance to think about it.

We were seated at a big round table in the back of the restaurant, and we spent the next hour and a half eating and laughing.

I noticed other students from the senior class milling around outside, a few coming in to eat.

"So who is actually skiing tomorrow?" Emmett asked.

"I am, for sure. I promised Jess I'd teach her the basics," Mike said around a bite of pizza, before his cheeks turned a furious shade of pink at everyone's "ohhhh" in response.

"I'm planning to snowboard," Kevin said, taking a sip of his Coke.

"I didn't know you could snowboard," Edward said.

"I can't," Kevin laughed. "But I want to give it a try anyway," he shrugged. Aside from one math class I had with him, I hadn't really interacted with him much before today. He was hanging around Mike since most of their teammates didn't come on the trip.

"Well I know I won't be. I just wanted to come for the experience," Edward shrugged.

"You can if you want to," Emmett said to him then, and we all glanced over at Emmett in confusion. "See, I called the ski lodge a few weeks ago to see if they had any ski chairs for paraplegic people. Turns out they do, along with an instructor who can help you learn to use it," Emmett said, and we were all stunned silent.

"You don't have to, you know, if you don't want. I just, uh, wanted to see if it was possible," Emmett said softly.

"That was really sweet of you, baby," Rose said quietly to him.

"Yeah, man, that's...super cool. Thank you," Edward said to him.

Emmett just shrugged and nodded, being the humble and kind friend he was.

We settled our bills after Kevin asked for a piece of double chocolate cake to go, and then went outside to wait for the shuttle.

"Hold up, guys. I'm going to run in here really quick," Kevin said, nodding to the Walgreens that was a store down from the restaurant.

Ten minutes later, Kevin jogged back over to us with a bag in hand, just as the shuttle pulled up to the stop.

"So what do you think?" I asked Edward as we sat side by side on the shuttle. Our small group, along with several others from our school group, were riding it back to the hotel.

"About what?" Edward asked.

"Skiing tomorrow. Now that you know that it's an option," I said.

"I dunno. Maybe?" He answered, looking at me for confirmation.

"Have you ever skied before, you know..." I said.

"Once when I was 15. My parents took us one year. I was...terrible at it," he laughed. "You?"

"Nope. Not much opportunity for it in Florida. But I think I might like to try it," I said. "It'd be fun if we could try it together," I said.

Edward leaned in and nuzzled my neck, letting out a low rumble from his chest as I felt his lips on my ear.

"I can think of something else I want to try together this weekend," he whispered, confirming that we were still on the same page. I felt heat blossom from my chest up my neck, across my cheeks, and I was grateful for the darkness of the shuttle.

"Hey lovebirds, we're back," Emmett said as he stood up.

The shuttle driver got out and helped Edward down from the chair lift in the back, where I met him to walk into the hotel with him.

We peaked into the hotel bar and saw Mr. Banner deep in conversation with an older looking blonde woman.

"Get it, Mr. B," Emmett said with a fist-pump, almost dropping the large pizza box he was holding in the process.

"Let's get this upstairs before you ruin it," Rose said, taking the box from her boyfriend and leading our group towards the elevators.

Before we got on, I stopped at the vending machine and go two bottles of Coke.

Once we got back up to our floor, we went to Eric and Jessica's room to find the lock pushed out so that the door was cracked open already.

"Knock, knock," Kevin said as he pushed the door open and we followed him in.

Jessica was sprawled out on one bed and Eric was propped up on the other, his foot still resting high on a pile of pillows, the tv playing in front of them.

"Hey guys," Jessica said, sitting up straighter and smoothing her hair when she noticed Mike walk in.

"We brought you some grub," Emmett said as Rose set the pizza on the desk in the hotel room.

"And drinks," I said.

"You guys are awesome. Thanks," Eric said. He moved to sit up a little straighter and winced as he pulled on his leg.

"You okay, buddy?" Kevin asked, setting the box of cake down on the bedside table.

He moved to sit beside Eric on the bed, facing him.

"Ye—Yes," Eric whispered softly.

"Mind if I take a look at that ankle?" Kevin asked, still holding the Walgreens bag.

"Okay," Eric nodded. I was so not used to shy, nervous Eric. It was sweet.

Eric lifted the leg of the pajama pants he had managed to change into at some point.

Kevin carefully unhooked the safety pin and pulled the makeshift t-shirt wrapping off slowly.

Eric's ankle was puffy and bruised.

"I got an ace bandage, so I can wrap it tighter for you now," Kevin explained, pulling the bandage out of the bag and unboxing it. Carefully, Kevin started to wrap the bandage around Eric's ankle, his fingers brushing against Eric's swollen skin at times. I saw Eric shudder slightly, from pain or pleasure I wasn't sure.

"Room check!" We heard from the end of the hall outside of the door.

It was probably good that Mr. Banner came now, because I was starting to feel like a spectator on a private moment.

Before we could all scramble back to our rooms, Mr. Banner knocked on the door.

"Hey, Mr. B," Emmett said, opening the door.

"How many of you kids are in here?" Mr. Banner asked as he took us all in.

"Sorry, Mr. Banner. Eric sprained his ankle, so we were just bringing him some dinner and checking on him. Since, you know, he doesn't have a roommate," Rosalie explained with a shrug.

Mr. Banner glanced around, as if he was waiting for us to admit that we were playing spin the bottle or smoking weed or having an orgy or something. If he noticed the second bed that had been unmade or Jessica's pink suitcase in the corner, he didn't comment on it.

"Alright well hurry up, it's time to get back to your rooms," Mr. Banner said.

"Yes, sir," we nodded in unison.

Kevin stood up then, having finished wrapping Eric's ankle.

"I'll get you some fresh ice and then leave you to get some rest," he said. We all moved toward the door, and Jessica peaked out. Banner was already past the room she was supposed to be sharing with Katie so the coast was clear.

"Oh, Kevin, don't forget your box," Eric said, reaching for the small to-go container sitting on the nightstand, a cellophane wrapped fork and napkin laying on top.

"That's for you, man," Kevin said with a grin before leaving the room with the ice bucket and walking past us towards the ice machine.

We meandered around until we saw Mr. Banner get back on the elevator and go down to his floor. Edward and I quietly went towards our room, going in and shutting the rest of the world out behind us.

I walked over to the bed and sat down to unzip my boots and slide them off.

When I looked up, Edward was nervously flipping through the TV stations, sitting at the end of the bed in his chair.

"I'm going to take a quick shower," I said, setting my shoes aside and standing to walk to my bag on the other bed.

"Okay, love. I'll take one after you," he said.

I briefly considered asking him to join me, but honestly I knew I wanted to make sure every nook and cranny was clean, and I didn't need him watching me do that.

I grabbed my bag of toiletries and went to the bathroom, shutting the door behind me.

I turned on the fan and undressed, then set a towel down on the floor by the shower.

I fiddled with the shower faucet until I got the water to the right temperature and let it spray while I used the bathroom and then grabbed a towel and washcloth.

The shower felt nice, though I always hated the water pressure of hotel showers. It took me twice as long to rinse the shampoo and conditioner from my hair, but I finally got myself clean and free of the day's grime.

When I got out, I combed my hair and dried off, realizing too late that I'd forgotten to grab any clothes from my bag before coming in here.

I wrapped my towel tight around me, feeling my wet hair fall down my shoulders and back, and gave my teeth a quick and thorough brush.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the bathroom door and walked out to find Edward sitting in his chair between the two beds.

He had changed so that he was only in basketball shorts and no shirt.

He looked up at me as I walked towards the bed, his eyes getting slightly wider as he took in my appearance.

"I forgot my pajamas," I said, suddenly shy about my appearance, even though I knew what was going to happen tonight.

"That's...perfectly okay," he said, grinning at me.

I smiled back at him, the TV quietly playing Friends in the background.

"You're turn," I said, nodding my head to the left towards the bathroom.

I stepped out of his way so he could wheel by me, wishing my nerves would ease but knowing they'd only subside once he was back out here to hold me.

I decided to make use of my time and dry my hair, preferring not to sleep, or anything else, with it cold and wet against my back.

I pulled my hairdryer from my bag and walked over to the desk area to stand in front of the mirror.

I spent the next 10 minutes drying my hair in sections so that it was long, straight, and full. I'd flat-iron it in the morning, but I knew if we were going to be attempting to ski, it'd probably be pulled back anyway.

Once I was done, I grabbed the t-shirt out of my bag that I'd swiped from Edward's room back home one day last week. He didn't know I had it, and I was starting to second guess if surprising him in it was the best idea. I wondered if maybe this would backfire and just remind him of what he'd lost.

I decided to go for it, knowing he was still proud of his years playing football, and hope for the best.

I didn't put a bra or underwear on, instead letting the shirt barely cover me. I sprayed on a few spritz of perfume before climbing on the bed and laying against the pillows.

I sat up on my elbows, felt silly, laid back and put one arm up over my head, felt even sillier, crossed my legs and leaned on my side, felt completely ridiculous, before finally just flopping back and laying there.

I grabbed my phone from the bedside table, laughing at the group text between Angela and Jessica.

Angela was letting us know that Ben had finally asked her out and that they had a movie date planned for tomorrow.

Jessica was not so subtly asking us what we thought of Mike and sending us screenshots of her text exchanges with him as of late, as well as pictures from his Facebook to analyze.

Angela and I agreed that he was cute and we appreciated the way he stood against Tyler after what went down with Lauren.

We also discussed the blossoming bromance/actual romance between Eric and Kevin, Jessica and I filling Angela in on the details of the day.

I was so busy laughing and typing with the girls that I didn't realize the bathroom door had opened and Edward was on his way over to the bed.

I looked up, staring at him as he wheeled closer. He was wearing his basketball shorts again, his long legs on display. He'd been doing that more, wearing them more now that I'd seen his legs.

I knew they were a source of insecurity, as they were smaller than they'd once been, but I still thought they were long and sexy.

He was shirtless, his skin tinged pink from the hot shower and his hair still damp.

He came over to the side of the bed and I set my phone down.

"Bella," he said when I sat up and he realized what I was wearing.

"I hope it's okay. I...got it from your room," I said, looking down at the Forks High emblem on the front. "I liked that it has your name on the back," I explained.

He was silent for a few more beats, and I was desperately afraid that I'd messed up.

He glanced down and saw my bare legs.

"Are you...not wearing anything under it?" He asked.

I shook my head "no," feeling his eyes on me.

His eyebrows shot up and he reached forward and grabbing my bare bottom, pulling me towards him so that I straddled him on his chair.

"You're so hot," he whispered before taking my mouth with his, his hands cupping my back side and kneading me with his long fingers.

I could feel him hard against his shorts, rubbing against my bare center and sending chills up my spine.

I put my hands on his bare back, loving the way his hands moved up and around to cup me under the shirt, feeling my breasts in his hands.

"I love you," he said quietly before attaching his mouth to my neck, kissing a hot trail down to my collar bone.

"I love you, too," I moaned, leaning my head back, overcome by the sensation of his mouth and his hands and his hardness all pressing into me in the most perfect ways.

"Lay back on the bed for me," he instructed.

I didn't know what exactly he was planning but he helped me sit back up on the bed so that I was on the edge.

"Lay down, beautiful," he told me.

I did as he said, knowing my legs were spread and exposed to him.

I heard his chair move slightly before each of is his arms went under my thighs and he pulled me slightly so that I was almost hanging off of the bed.

Before I could even think, I felt his warm mouth at my center, his tongue touching me in the very most intimate way.

I sucked in a hard breath and then let out a long moan, which turned into pants as his licking got faster, slower, then faster again.

He knew what he was doing, much more so than the only other person I'd let try this, who did it once and never tried again.

"Edward," I cried out as one of his arms pulled away and he slid a long finger into me.

He continued to rub me with his tongue, gentle to the point of teasing before softly adding pressure and moving his tongue up and down, side to side, around me in the most precise and mind-blowing ways, until finally I couldn't take it anymore and my legs were shaking.

I let out a loud cry as I came hard, and he licked until I reached to move his head away, unable to handle anymore.

"Holy fuck," I whispered, laying there staring at the ceiling, catching my breath and feeling the cool air as Edward leaned up and away from me.

I sat up on my elbows, taking in his smug grin as he used the bath towel I'd discarded on the bed to wipe around his mouth.

"That was amazing," I sighed, and he chuckled and tossed the towel aside, rolling himself back closer to the bed.

I sat up, careful not to make a mess where I was sitting, and leaned into him.

"Can you...take your shorts off?" I asked, nodding down.

He reached and slid them off, a little more slowly because he was sitting, until he got them to his feet and bent down to take them off and toss them aside.

"You're turn," he winked. I pulled his shirt off of me and tossed it with his shorts, enjoying the longing gaze he was giving my naked body.

"Do you have a...?" I asked, and he reached to the left for his wallet in the nightstand.

"Such a cliche," I tisked with a laugh.

He laughed with me before tearing the foil packet open and pulling the condom out. I watched as he slid it on, then looked up at me.

I think he was wondering if he should get on the bed and lay down or how we should proceed.

"Just stay like that," I said, standing and straddling him over his chair.

I reached down and grabbed him, lining him up with my entrance before slowly sliding down onto him.

I was tight, and it'd been a long time since I'd had this sensation, so it took a bit of maneuvering to adjust to him, but seeing his head roll back once he was fully inside of me was worth every stretch and twinge of pain.

I put my hands on his shoulders for leverage, and my toes could just touch the floor enough for me to be able to lift up and ease down, slowly and carefully.

"Fuck," Edward mumbled, his hands in my waist as he helped me move up and down.

My thighs were burning, and I knew this was better for him than for me, but I didn't care. This wasn't about getting off again. This was about showing him that he could do this, that he was still able to feel this.

I tried to move faster, listening to the sounds of our bodies meeting over and over, until I felt him tense.

I could feel the pulsing inside of me as he let go, his eyes closing and his breathing heavy and rough.

His hard chest was rising and falling as he panted.

"Bella, fuck, baby," he said, leaning forward and placing his forehead on my chest. I could feel his breath on my breasts, hot and fast.

I reached my arms up and ran my hands through his hair, feeling the dampness of his shower and a light sheen of perspiration on the back of his neck.

He reached his arms around me and squeezed me, before I reluctantly tried to stand.

I eased up and let him slip out of me, my legs sore and shaky as I caught my balance.

"Thank you. That was incredible," he smiled at me. "I'm sorry you didn't..." he started with a grimace before I cut him off.

"I did, and it was spectacular. That was about you. We'll find our rhythm," I promised him.

He nodded and smiled.

"Do you want to go...?" He nodded to the bathroom. "I have to, um, clean up. It might take me longer," he said.

I nodded and stood, walking into the bathroom. I sat down to use the toilet and clean up.

As I was washing my hands, I looked at myself on the mirror. My whole body was flushed from the heat and the intensity of what had just happened. But I was happy, so happy, that we'd been able to finally make love. I knew Edward worried endlessly about his drawbacks as a boyfriend, and truthfully I didn't know if we'd manage this particular task, either. But we had, and he'd enjoyed it, and we'd finally taken that step together.

I walked out of the bathroom and he went in, smiling at me as went past.

I pulled his t-shirt on and found some panties and yoga pants in my bag, knowing I'd get cold during the night.

I climbed into the bed, reaching to plug in my phone to the charger and noticing that it was already after midnight.

I settled into the bed, turning the TV off and waiting for Edward to come back out.

A few minutes later, I felt him sliding into the bed behind me. I flipped the switch on the bedside light and rolled over, cuddling into his chest as he laid on his back and put his arm around me.

My hand slid down his side to rest on the elastic band of his basketball shorts, my arm across his smooth chest. I'd never felt more perfect than in this moment.

"I love you, Bella," he whispered, kissing the top of my head.

"I love you more," I mumbled back, halfway asleep and wholly in love with the man beside me.

* * *

 **Phew. Whatcha think? :)**


	15. Chapter 15

**I honestly have no excuse for why this has taken so long. Real life has been in the way of my motivation to write. But I'm determined to finish this story for for you all. For those still reading, thank you.**

 **Thank you to Chicsarah for always willing to be the first set of eyes to see this. You're the best.**

 **Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable characters herein. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

"Hey kid, how about a trip to the diner tonight?" My dad asked, walking in the house to see his exhausted lump of a daughter on the couch.

I barely raised my hand to give him a thumbs up before dropping it to my lap again.

"How many hours have you worked this week?" He asked, pulling off his belt and untucking his long-sleeved button down shirt.

"Um...enough that my feet hurt but not enough that I can afford a prom dress yet," I shrugged.

"Bells, I already told you I'd help you with that. You don't have to spend all of your own money," Dad said. And I knew he meant it. But he was a single dad supporting a teenage daughter. He already helped me pay my car insurance and cell phone on top of his other bills. My savings had pretty much depleted since being here, and working at the Cullen's pharmacy was helping replenish that.

The hours this past week had just been longer than usual because the other store clerk—the lady with the gruesome stories from her other job working with the coroner—was out of town for the week. A few weeks ago, after we had returned from the ski trip, she'd trained me. Aside from learning the types of cigarettes and how to apply coupons, it was a relatively easy job.

But I was working four to eight every day this week, after a full day at school, and then coming home to homework. To say the least, I was tired.

"I know, Dad. But I want to do as much as I can to contribute. It's ridiculous the amount people have to spend on proms, but Edward really wants to go and this will be my only one. And damn it, I'm going to wear sparkles," I said.

My dad laughed and let the curse slide.

"I'm going to go change and then we can get some dinner. Do you work tomorrow?" He asked.

"Just for a few hours. The pharmacy is only opened until two on Saturdays," I said.

"Alright, just don't overdue it," he told me, which was laughable from the man who put in almost as much overtime as he did regular hours in a week.

Edward had been pretty busy the last few weeks, too, so our only real time together was at school. I missed him in an desperate way. We hadn't been together physically again since the ski trip. We'd made the most of our weekend together, but between both of our attempts to ski that weekend, we were too sore to do much.

It'd been weeks now, and after feeling that closeness to him, I was craving it again.

He had started working at the front desk of the rehab center. His hours weren't every day because he wasn't needed every day. He mostly just worked two or three afternoons a week.

But on other days, he was spending a lot of time at the hospital getting tests done. The doctor from the UK had to move up his plans, so the surgery, if it was going to happen, was now going to take place before summer even started.

He was scheduled to come in a few weeks, and to make his time more valuable, he'd sent over all of the tests he wanted Edward to have. He'd be here for a month, so if he was going to do the surgery, it was going to be over spring break. Which meant that Edward wouldn't be back at school after spring break. He was already excelling in his classes and would just do some makeup work and take all of his finals early so that he could focus on recovery. Whether or not he'd be at graduation was up in the air, but he was willing to sacrifice all of those things if it meant he had a chance.

Edward had also upped his rehab, so he was going four times a week now.

I knew he was exhausted and sore, but he never let his smile falter. I was proud of every effort he was making.

But regardless, I missed him.

* * *

The next day, I got home and went to the kitchen for a late lunch. My dad was asleep because he was going in that night. I wasn't crazy about the nights alone in the house, but I figured I'd settle in to binge something on Netflix for the night.

Edward had text me earlier, letting me know that he was probably just going to head home and catch up on sleep that night. I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed that he didn't want to spend a Saturday night with his girlfriend, but on top of working this week, he also had physical therapy today and I knew he needed some rest.

The weather was its usual abysmal cold rain, so I took a hot shower to wash off a morning of work and climbed in bed.

Once I laid down and got comfy, I grabbed my phone, unlocking the screen and hovering over my mom's number. We'd been talking a lot more lately, and she'd apologized several times. We'd had a few tearful discussions about it all, and she really wanted to make things right with Edward. I'd told her that maybe she could speak to him when she and Phil came up for graduation in a few months, but I wasn't subjecting him to an awkward phone call. He barely knew her, and the one time they'd met had been horrible.

But I had been considering for the last few days how much I really did miss her, and how badly I wanted to spend some in person time working through things and mending our relationship. I also really wanted to go prom dress shopping with her. I was fresh off of heartbreak and hadn't gone to my junior prom last year. This was going to be my only one, and I wanted to be with her to try on dresses. All my other friends had been shopping with their moms.

Taking a deep breath, I decided that the worst she could say was no. But if she'd have me, I wanted to cash in my airline voucher from Christmas and go see her soon.

I pressed send and listened to it ring a few times.

"Hello?" I heard.

"Hey, mommy," I breathed. "Are you free any weekend soon...?"

Several hours later, after a much longer nap than I planned, I padded down the hall to the kitchen to find some dinner. My dad had already left, sending me a quick text to have a good night and let me know he loved me.

I was just about to heat up some leftovers when the doorbell rang.

I contemplated not opening it, but a peek out of the window showed me Edward's car in the driveway.

I hurried the front door and swung it open, finding him there, bundled up and covered in water from the light rain. He had a big paper bag in his lap.

"Edward, what are you doing here?" I asked, backing up to let him in.

"Hello to you, too, my love," he smiled.

"Sorry, I'm glad you're here. I just didn't expect to see you," I said.

"Well, I had a good nap earlier and decided I'd rather spend a sleepy evening with you instead of at home alone. Is your dad here?" He asked, looking around.

"No, he's working tonight..." I trailed off, and we smirked at each other, considering the possibilities that had.

"I brought dinner," he said after a few moments, nodding to the bag in his lap.

"Chinese?" I asked hopeful, abandoning the three day old spaghetti I had been about to heat up.

"Yup," he said with a laugh.

I grabbed us some drinks, napkins, and silverware, and we went down the hall to my room to watch Netflix on my laptop and eat in bed.

We spent the next hour catching up on another episode of a new baking competition show, both having a lot of judgment on the cakes considering neither of us could do any better.

We laughed, shared our food, and enjoyed each other's company.

"I've missed you," Edward said later, when I climbed back in bed after taking our leftovers to the fridge and putting our dishes in the sink.

"Back at you," I told him, sliding down to lay beside him. He put his arm around me and let me snuggle into his chest. I reveled in his warmth.

"How was therapy today?" I asked.

"Really good, actually. One of my doctors here set up a video call with Dr. Barrow so he could see my specific exercises and instruct us in others he'd like to try," Edward explained.

"He comes here in what, three weeks?" I asked.

"Two. Two weekends from now. And if all goes well, two weeks after that, I'll be having surgery," he said quietly.

One month. One month standing between Edward and the possibility of walking again. I knew that even after surgery, he'd be in the hospital for at least a week, and then rehab for longer. It could be another several months before he could even attempt to walk. But it all felt so close, so tangible.

"How are you feeling about it?" I asked, turning to look up into his eyes.

"Nervous. Excited. Overwhelmed," he said with a shrug.

"You do want the surgery, right?" I asked.

"I do," he stated confidently. "But I can't deny how scared I am. It's a big, risky surgery. Although I suppose the worst that can happen is that it doesn't work and I'm stuck in my chair forever," he said, glancing over at his wheelchair.

"Are you prepared to face that possibility?" I asked, feeling bad for all of the questions.

"I think so. I've been this way for a year. I'm mostly used to it now. Sure it makes some things harder, but I always find a way around them," he said.

His hand was rubbing up and down my arm, and though it felt comforting, I think he was using it to comfort himself, too. He'd always been more hands-on, and I often wondered if it was because he felt everything through them. He used the top half of his body to overcompensate for the sensations his legs were missing.

"It won't change anything," he started again. "My plans, for college and the future, are still the same," he said, looking at me, promising me.

We'd both received our acceptance letters to the University of Washington and would be going there in the fall. We'd looked at other schools, but both of us were already receiving in-state scholarship offers that would be helpful for college.

"I can still go to college, still study medicine or whatever else I decide, still be a part of society. Still...be with you," he said softly. "Unless..." he trailed.

"Unless what?" I asked, leaning up to look at him.

"Unless you aren't...prepared to face that possibility," he said softly, his hand falling to the bed behind me as I sat up completely to look him in the eye.

"Edward, you listen to me. Up until a few months ago, I didn't even know it was a possibility. When I met you, it wasn't a possibility. When we started dating, it wasn't a possibility. When I fell in love with you, you know what?" I asked.

"It wasn't a possibility," he mumbled, his eyes not leaving mine.

"Exactly. And you know what else? Whether this surgery works and you walk again, or it doesn't and you spend the rest of your life in a chair...for me? It. Changes. Nothing."

We were quiet as my words fell into the silent room, his hand reaching up to clutch mine, which I had on his chest.

"I love you," he finally said.

"I love you. Every part of you," I told him, leaning down to kiss him.

We spent the rest of the night making love carefully and slowly, the only way we could.

He'd pulled my clothes off, and I'd helped him out of his. I used my hands and mouth first, stroking and kissing him, tasting him. I grabbed his wallet for him then, pulling out the condom he'd stashed in there. He watched as I rolled it on him awkwardly, both of us chuckling in the quiet room.

I lifted up and over him, sliding down onto him, and slowly moved with him. He did his best to help, moving his hips as he could, but mostly I just rode him, pulling up and pushing down so that we both felt the slow build of it. My hands where in his, locked together so that he helped me keep my balance and gave me leverage.

He eventually let one go and dropped it between us, rubbing me so that the sensation finally overtook me and I began to come wonderfully. I kept moving through it, waiting to feel him pulse in me, riding him until he was done and then dropping myself to his chest. He wrapped his arms around me, kissing the top of my head and whispering over and over again that he loved me.

It was only our second time being completely intimate. It was still different, still an adjustment. But we were learning how to work together. It would take time, but as far as I was concerned, time was all we had. I wasn't going anywhere. And I prayed to every deity I knew of that he wasn't either. Because if I let myself fully think about what was to come in the next month, I was afraid the anxiety of it all would crush me completely.

* * *

The following Friday, I was on the airplane, high above the clouds and watching the map on the screen in the headrest in front of me. According to it, we'd be landing in Florida in 56 minutes.

My mom and I had been talking a lot the last week, making plans for our very short time together. I'd only be there fully for a day, coming back Sunday. My dad had let me take today off of school to fly in sooner. Tomorrow would be spent shopping for a prom dress. My mom was already mapping out all of the stores for us.

When I told my friends earlier in the week that I was going to Florida to shop for a dress, I got a mixed reaction.

"You're so lucky! The options have to be better than PA and Olympia," Jessica huffed.

"Your dress is gorgeous, Jess," Angela assured.

"What's it look like?" Mike asked from across the table.

"Nope, not telling. You can only know the color so you can match the tux," Jessica told him sternly, a smirk on her face. Mike just smiled back. They weren't officially official, but they were going to prom together and definitely spending more time together.

Speaking of people suddenly spending more time together, Kevin had migrated to our lunch table after the ski trip. He sat beside Mike, across from Eric, and blended in seamlessly with our group.

None of us were really sure exactly what was going on with the two of them. Kevin was nice to him, to all of us, and Eric was very obviously smitten.

"I need to go rent a tux, I guess. You think they have something with glitter on it? I don't know why I care. Going to senior prom alone. I'm lamer than Rob Kardashian on social media," he huffed.

I saw him glance up at Kevin, who was definitely listening.

"You could take me!" Alice chirped.

"No!" Most of us said in unison.

Alice was suffering a severe case of FOMO lately, missing out on the things the rest of us were going to. Since the prom was only for juniors and seniors, she and Jasper couldn't go. She'd even gone so far as to suggest that Emmett take her and Rose take Jasper to get them in. But Mr. and Mrs. Cullen had firmly put their foot down against that and told her that she'd have to wait until she was old enough.

"What color is your dress, Angela?" I asked.

"Baby pink," she said softly. Ben, who WAS officially official as her boyfriend, smiled beside her.

"Pretty! Mine is red," Rose said.

"What color do you want, Bella?" Jessica asked.

"I honestly don't know. I don't really want anything too bright or fluffy. Definitely some sparkle but I don't know if I can pull off all glitter," I said, looking to Edward.

"You could wear a sweatshirt and I wouldn't care. You're beautiful in anything," Edward said.

"Oh Lord, you two need to chill out with the Zach Morris/Kelly Kapowski ishhh," Eric hissed.

"Huh?" I said.

"Oh my gosh, the episode where she can't afford a dress so they dance outside prom in sweats?" Eric said. When we said nothing, he just huffed. "Uncultured swine," he mumbled, and we all laughed.

"Okay but nothing tops that one where Jessie wigs out on caffeine pills," Jessica said. Eric looked even more annoyed when we all knew what she was talking about.

But that following day, after school, Eric had a completely different look on his face: a giddy grin.

In his locker, after school, he'd found a note slipped in, which he'd been all too excited to text us a picture of.

 _"Eric,_

 _Don't be Rob Kardashian at prom. Let's Kim and Kanye this night and go together. We will, what's that you say? 'Snatch some wigs?' Anyway, will you be my prom date?_

 _Yours,  
Kevin"_

I was sure the news was spreading like crazy at school today, and I had to admire Kevin. He was going to take a lot of flack for asking the openly gay boy to prom. And he was definitely going to cause assumptions. Whether they were true or not, I hoped he knew that his group of newfound friends didn't care, as long as he was happy and made Eric happy.

I came back to the present, feeling the plane shake more as we started getting lower and lower to the ground. The runway was just below, and I could almost taste the warm, salty air of Jacksonville.

Once the plane finally taxied and came to a stop, I gathered my things and waited my turn to walk down the aisle and out of the plane.

The airport was pretty small, so it didn't take me long to get to where I knew mom would be. All of my stuff fit into a smaller bag to carry on, so I didn't have to check my luggage.

I turned a corner and saw my mom's familiar form, standing beside Phil. She was turned away, looking at the screen showing flight arrivals.

I saw Phil motion to her and nod towards me, and mom turned around.

We both walked faster when we made eye contact.

As soon as I got to her, I dropped my bags and let her pull me into a warm, familiar embrace.

"Oh, Bella, my darling. I'm so so sorry," she sobbed into my hair.

"Shh, mom, it's okay," I told her. I knew we still had a lot to talk about, but I knew her apology was sincere. It had been sincere the first time she'd said it and every time since.

And I knew that today, this moment, this weekend—this was the reunion we should have had back in November. We'd wasted several months this past year not talking, and several more walking on egg shells with each other. But this day, this moment, was the start of us repairing what had been broken, rekindling what was loss, and regrowing our friendship.

* * *

 **Thoughts? What did your prom/formal attire look like? I want to know! Tell me about it. :)**


	16. Chapter 16

**I loved hearing about everyone's prom dresses and experiences! Thanks for sharing with me!**

 **Thank you to Chicsarah for always being here to help!**

 **Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable characters herein. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

"Next!" Eric called. "NEXT!" He said louder, his hand snapping in my face.

"Sorry, sorry!" I sighed, dropping my phone to my chest and sitting up from his bed, where I'd been laying beside Angela, both of us on our phones. Her makeup was already perfectly in place, as was Jessica's.

"Quit sexting and come sit in this chair," Eric said, pointing a makeup brush to the chair in front of his mirrored table.

"You're one to talk. I've seen you blushing at your phone every time it chimes," I told him, flopping into the chair and looking up at him, batting my eyelashes and grinning.

"It's not like that," he said, a bit exasperated.

"Why isn't it?" Jessica asked, climbing onto the bed where I had been, sitting cross legged and looking at her phone.

"I don't know!" Eric exclaimed, surprising us all with his outburst. "Ugh, I don't know," he said more quietly, pumping some cream into his hands and spreading it onto my face with his fingers.

"Well what do you talk about?" Jessica asked.

"Everything. About ourselves, I mean. Just like, getting to know you stuff. I mean, I think he's gay. Or wants to be gay. Or is bisexual. Or something. But our conversations are just so...friendly. And not, like, friendly-friendly. You know?" He said, smoothing something else on my face. Primer, maybe?

"Well obviously he feels something, or he wouldn't have asked you to prom," Jessica said.

"That's what I thought. But maybe he just wants to feel like he's doing a good deed before he goes off to college? Like, become a headline or something. "Straight football player asks super gay kid to prom'," Eric said, rubbing on some foundation—probably the palest he could find—and blending it in with a sponge.

"I don't know Kevin all that well, but I don't think that's what he's after. He's not your best friend doing you a favor. He's a cute football player who has always kind of flown under the radar, and never really dated. Maybe there's a reason for that," Jessica shrugged.

"Maybe he's just nervous," I offered, watching as Eric grabbed more foundation from the back of his hand and dotted it around my face.

"And I'm not?" Eric said, giving a frustrated eye roll as he patted the makeup sponge on my face harder.

"Easy," I said, flinching and backing away.

"Sorry," he mumbled, realizing he was taking his frustrations out on my face.

"S'okay. I just mean, maybe he's nervous because this is new to him. I'm kind of assuming here, but I don't think he's dated a boy before," I said.

"Neither have I. I mean, I've had encounters online and stuff..."

"Eric!" Jessica mock gasped.

"Oh hush, I even showed you the pictures that one guy sent me," he said, and she chortled from the bed.

"Did you ever meet any of them?" I asked.

"A couple..." he said, blushing and looking away to grab some powder and another sponge.

He glanced at all of us.

"We aren't judging," I said, and Angela and Jessica nodded.

"Anyway, but I've never had, like, a real boyfriend, you know? So this is kind of new to me, too. And I really like him. Like, a lot," he said.

"Well, who knows? Maybe tonight will be a game changer," Jessica grinned.

"Gonna be a game changer for those," Eric mumbled, and Jessica threw a pillow towards him while Angela blushed and looked away.

Who knew my friends were all going to be prom night cliches after all?

* * *

An hour later, I pulled up to the house to see my dad's car there. He was off of work, finally, for the whole weekend.

I walked in to find him in the hallway by my room, loading laundry—his sheets—into the washing machine. I tried to tell myself it was just routine laundry for him, but I knew he was planning to see Sue later that night. I shuddered and kept walking to my room.

"Hey Bells, let me see," Dad said.

I turned around to look at him.

"Whoa," he muttered.

"It's just my makeup. I still have to fix my hair and put my dress on," I told him. "You just aren't used to seeing me like this," I said, waving a finger in a circle around my face.

"Well hell, once you add the rest of it, I don't think I'll be able to breathe. Neither will Edward, for that matter. Maybe staying over there tonight isn't such a good idea..." he trailed.

"You're one to talk," I rolled my eyes. "Washing your sheets?" I nodded to the washing machine.

"They, uh, needed it. That's all," he said, blushing. "Go finish getting ready," he gruffed, turning away.

I shook my head and walked into my room, petting Pretzel as he laid curled up on a fleece blanket at the end of my bed.

I went to my dresser to pull out some yoga pants and a t-shirt, along with some flats, socks, a sports bra, and my pack of makeup removing wipes.

The entire gang was spending the night at Edward's house. His parents were cooking up a big breakfast spread for us, and that way Alice and Jasper could hang out with the rest of us after prom.

Part of me thought Edward's parents just wanted us to have somewhere safe to go after prom, to prevent any underage drinking or hookups. But I was sure some of my friends would spend some alone time in their cars before settling in for the evening.

Another part of me thought they were doing this for Edward. His surgery was two days away, on Monday morning. Tomorrow was his last full day before his life would potentially change. Aside from the outcome, the surgery, itself, was risky. His parents just wanted him to have one more carefree night before the next few months of pain, rehabilitation, and whatever emotions this brought with it.

I smiled, thinking about how nervous and excited I was, for tonight, for Monday. It was a big weekend for all of us, indeed.

I looked up at the garment bag hanging in front of my closet door, thinking back to my trip a month before to Jacksonville.

It had gone better than I could have anticipated. My mom and I finally got to catch up and talk about Edward the way we should have the first time. She listened and smiled as I told her about him, about how funny he was, about how smart he was, about how he was going to the University of Washington with me in the fall. Rose, Emmett, Edward and I had all decided on it, and Rose and I had plans to room together in the freshman dorms.

I told her how Edward had received an academic scholarship based on his impressive SAT scores and that, as of now, he was planning to major in pre-med, as he still hoped to become a surgeon. I was planning to major in psychology—a stepping stone to a career I hoped to have as a psychiatrist.

I told her about his surgery, about the risks and the possibilities.

"How do you feel about it? I mean, if it does or doesn't work," she asked me, no judgment in her voice. Just concern.

"I want it to work because I know how much he wants it to work. But it doesn't change anything for me. I love him, and I'll love him without or without the ability to walk," I declared.

We hugged and talked more before finally heading out for lunch and shopping.

And shop we did—she took me to every bridal and formal store within at least 30 miles of her house, and we found nothing. Either it wasn't my size, couldn't be ordered in time, or just wasn't a good look for me. I thought I'd wanted something covered in sparkles, but when I tried those on, they were just itchy.

The only thing I found that I wanted was a gorgeous, rhinestone belt that was nestled in a glass case among other glittering tiaras and jewelry.

"What did you find, baby girl?" My mom asked, walking up behind me.

"Oh, I was just looking at this belt. I don't know why it caught my eye. The silver and clear rhinestones are just pretty in it," I shrugged.

"Let's get it, then," she said matter of factly.

"For what? I don't even have a dress, and whatever I find may not work with it," I said, though once she said let's get it, I wanted it more than anything.

"Do you trust me?" She asked.

"Of course, but..."

"I have an idea. Ma'am, can we get this belt, please?" My mom asked the lady standing behind the register just down from the case.

When we got back to my mom's house, still with no dress but with a belt that I felt guilty for how much my mom spent on it, I was still nervous and confused.

"Come with me," she said, tossing her purse on the dining room table and clutching the pink plastic bag that had my new belt in it.

I followed her down the hall and past her room to the guest room where I was sleeping. She opened the closet door and pulled a bunch of clothes—a rain coat, a wool coat she'd never need in Florida, an older letterman's jacket I assumed was Phil's, her wedding dress, and finally, a faded white garment bag that was zipped closed.

"What's this?" I asked as she pulled it out and hung it on top of the closet doors so that it hung almost to the ground.

"Open it," she urged.

I pulled the zipper down to reveal a burgundy velvet gown, floor length and solid. I pulled it from the bag, seeing that it had a sweetheart neckline.

"Was this yours?" I asked.

"It was. I wore it to the prom with your father when I went. In 1932," she joked and I snorted.

"Do you want to try it on? It's a little dated but I think it stands the test of time," she said

She helped me into the dress, which somehow fit perfectly, and zipped it up. There was a slit on the left side that went just past my knee, with a thin strap of velvet that draped off of each shoulder.

"Now, lets just add this..." she said, pulling the belt from the bag and pulling it around my waist. The front was covered in rhinestones and the back was a soft, silver ribbon that she tied behind me.

"Oh, Bella," mom said, her eyes filling with tears.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Come see," she said, leading me to her bedroom to stand in front of her full-length mirror.

"It's perfect," I said, rubbing my hands up and down the soft velvet. It really didn't look like I would have imagined a prom dress from the mid-90s looking. I could see why my dad fell for her if she was wearing this.

"Holy smokes!" We heard from the door, and both turned to see Phil standing there. "Baby Bells, you look gorgeous, honey," he said, walking in to put his arm around my mom.

"Thanks. It was mom's," I said, and Phil's eyes widened.

"Damn girl, can you still wear it?" He asked her, leaning down to kiss her ear and tickle her.

"Gross," I said, and they both laughed.

"You really are a knock out in that," Phil said.

"Thank you, guys. Thank you, mommy," I said to her, looking up to meet her gaze in the mirror.

I wasn't just thanking her for the dress, but for her apology and her understanding.

Back in my room, I stood up from my bed, wishing like anything that my mom was here now to help me get ready. But another cross-country flight was a lot to ask, and they were already coming for graduation in two months. She and I had already promised to FaceTime later so she could see me all dressed up. Now I just had to figure out if I could get my hair done on my own.

* * *

Two hours later, I was completely ready, standing in my bedroom. I'd opted for low, comfortable heals. It had taken a lot of hairspray and a couple of near misses with a curling wand, but I'd gotten my hair curled. I left it down, letting the soft waves and curls fall down my bare back.

I wasn't wearing any jewelry other than some sparkly earrings, wanting the focus to be the glittery belt around my waist. I felt grown up and feminine. I was just ready to see Edward.

All he knew about my dress was the color, so that he could get a tux vest to match.

The doorbell rang, and I knew it was him and my other friends here to take pictures.

I walked out to the living room to find my dad opening the door to Emmett, Rose, Edward, Alice, and Mr. and Mrs. Cullen. Edward was laughing at something and didn't see me right away. It wasn't until I cleared my throat that he looked up, his smile going slack and his eyes getting wide.

"Bella," he said, my name falling off of his lips in reverie.

"Hi," I said to him, taking in his smoothly shaved face, his freshly cut hair that was gelled perfectly into place, and the way he looked in the tux.

We took pictures—way more than were probably necessary—before the four of us finally got out of there.

Emmett was driving his mom's car, since he was driving the four of us. Edward couldn't get up into the Jeep easily, nor could Rose or I climb up in our snug dresses.

Rose was wearing a black gown with bursts of silver crystals on it. Her hair was curly and pulled into a low ponytail over her shoulder, and her usual black glasses were perched on her nose. She looked gorgeous.

By the time we got to the school, the parking lot was already packed. There were a few limos, but mostly everyone slummed it in their own cars.

The boys helped us out and the four of us went towards the gym, finding the rest of our friends at a table already inside. Angela was in a baby pink dress, full and fluffy around her. Jessica was wearing a floral printed dress that was a two piece, so her tanned stomach was peaking out. Ben and Mike stood beside them, looking all too delighted to be with their beautiful dates.

Eric and Kevin were sitting at the table, Kevin in a classic black and white tux and Eric in a tux with a black, glittery jacket. It looked incredible, especially with his hair blown out and high on his head and his full face of makeup.

"We clean up pretty nice," Emmett said.

The rest of the night was spent dancing, laughing, and taking way more selfies than were probably necessary. Edward and I found a way to dance, holding each other's hands and swaying lighting. It wasn't perfect, but it was us.

I looked up at one point and saw Eric and Kevin dancing closely, smiling at each other. Kevin definitely wasn't afraid.

We all gasped when we saw him lean in and lightly place his lips on Eric's. There were a lot of gasps, a few unfortunate looks of disapproval, and a bunch of cheering when they were spotted by our group.

Kevin and Eric both looked to where we were sitting around a table, clapping and wooping for them. They both blushed and looked sheepish, but Kevin only pulled Eric in closer.

Later that evening, Edward and I were sitting at the table, watching our classmates dance as closely as was appropriate to some radio edited versions of rap music.

"Thank you," I said to Edward, feeling his warm hand on my leg.

"For what, love?" He asked, eyes gleaming as he looked at me.

"This was my only prom, and it's been incredible," I told him. "You are incredible," I said, leaning in to kiss him.

We spent the rest of the night as close as possible to each other, dancing, laughing, and completely ignoring the anxiety that was creeping in as Monday morning fast approached.

* * *

I woke up the next day with a stiff back. I was on the floor in Alice's room, in a pile beside Angela and Jessica. Alice and Rosalie were in the bed, some of the boys were in the guest room, and I assumed the rest were on the air mattresses in the living room.

I rolled over and grabbed my phone, the chime of it waking me up. I was surprised to see it was a little after eleven in the morning.

"Meet me outside at 11:30," the text from Edward said. I grinned, wondering what he had in mind.

I got up carefully, not wanting to wake the others, and went to the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. It was still April and there was still a chill in the air, so I kept my long sleeved T-shirt and leggings on, sliding on my flats. My hair was a giant mess, so I pulled it into a bun on top of my head.

Edward had seen me looking worse, I figured, and made my way downstairs.

Mr. and Mrs. Cullen were sitting in the kitchen talking quietly with each other. I could see worry etched into both of their faces, and I didn't have to guess at the source of their anxiety.

I kept walking through the living room. Emmett was snoring from the couch, and Jasper, Ben, and Mike were all as far from touching as possible on the floor. I smirked, realizing that must have meant that Eric and Kevin took the guest room.

Clara was curled up in her bed on the floor with her little wheels strapped on, sleeping soundly.

When I stepped out onto the porch, Edward was sitting there in sweatpants and a hoodie. It was surprisingly sunny, but cool.

"Whatcha got there?" I asked, noticing the cooler in his lap.

"Let's go on a picnic," he smiled, turning to go down the ramp and towards his car.

I followed him, all too happy for some alone time with him.

Edward didn't drive far, just down the road and to the rivered area he took me the night it snowed and a few times since.

We usually came at night, so I hadn't had a chance to see how lovely it was in the light. The river was its constant stream of gentle melody, with lush green all around it.

Edward pulled a blanket and the cooler from his car and spread it out on the grass. Carefully, he eased himself from the chair and down to the blanket.

A little less gracefully, I plopped down beside him.

He reached into the basket to pull out some fruit and sandwiches.

"When did you pack this?" I asked, munching on the spread and taking a sip from my bottle of water.

"I got up before everyone this morning," he shrugged. He smiled, but his eyes looked serious, worried.

We finished eating in silence, just listening to the water, the birds in the trees.

Once we were done, Edward put our trash in the cooler and sat it aside.

"Come here," he told me, beckoning me closer.

I scooted over to sit against him, feeling him put his arm around me. I draped my legs over his, his free hand reaching down to rub my thigh.

"Bella," he said quietly.

"Hmm?" I asked, my head still against his chest, my eyes watching the clear water over the rocks.

"I'm scared."

I turned and looked up at him then, seeing in his eyes the fear he'd been holding back from all of us all this time.

"I'm scared that it's not going to work. I'm scared that something will go wrong, or it will only paralyze me worse. That's a possibility, you know? That he could damage my spine even worse. I'd lose even more feeling in my torso, maybe my arms, possibly my..." he said, trailing off when we both looked down.

"I'm scared, too, Edward. But only because I want you to be okay. There are risks with this. There are with any surgery, but this isn't just a small procedure. And I'm scared as hell that something will happen to you. I can't lose you. I can't", I said to him, turning to face him.

"You won't, baby, you won't," he reassured, and I felt like an asshole because he was now comforting me when it should be the opposite.

"This is going to work," I said finally.

"Yeah," he said simply. I wasn't convinced he believed that, so I was going to believe it for both of us.

Without another word, I lifted to my knees and straddled his legs, placing my mouth on his.

Our tongues met in quiet passion, and this wasn't about sex. This was about comfort, reassurance.

Edward laid back on the blanket, letting me guide. I pulled his pants down and took mine off, settling onto him and moving slowly.

I leaned down so that we were chest to chest, and I couldn't stop the tears that flowed freely from my eyes. They mixed with his as they hit his cheeks.

"I love you so much," I whispered, moving with him and holding on to the real, tangible feeling of being connected to him.

I knew I'd have this again with him. I knew in my heart that no matter the outcome of tomorrow, whether he walked again or not, he'd still be my Edward. He'd still be the boy that had been broken, but was slowly being pieced together: by his friends, his family, his girlfriend, a tiny little dog, and mostly, himself. As long as he always knew he was whole and strong and loved, he'd be able to face anything.

* * *

 **I'm estimating probably 1-2 more chapters and an epilogue. Tell me your thoughts. I already have planned how this will end, but I'd love to know where you hope to see this go.**

 **Off topic: any Netflix or Hulu recommendations? My husband and I are currently watching Glow. My favorites are baking shows, but I've watched just about all of them on Netflix. I've really only watched Handmaid's Tale on Hulu. I would love recommendations!**


	17. Chapter 17

**I have no excuses for the six months it's taken me to post this. I've been working on this chapter for months and struggling, but I think I'm finally in a good place with it. I hope those of you still taking the time to read this enjoy it and that it's been worth the wait. It's been one of my favorites to write.**

 **I am not a medical professional, so the procedure is purely an idea of what I think could be possible. Please understand that this is fiction, first and foremost.**

 **As always, thank you to Chicsarah for her awesome beta work and fast turn around so I can post this for you friends.**

 **Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable characters herein. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

"Bells? Bella?"

"Sorry, what?" I asked my dad, realizing he was talking to me and I was staring out of the window, watching the lights of the few other cars reflect off of the wet highway in the dark.

"I said there's a Starbucks at the next exit. Do you want to stop for a coffee before we get there?" He asked.

"Oh. No, thank you. I'm good," I answered.

"You need to eat something, baby," he told me.

"I will, dad. Just...not at five in the morning. And not until..." I trailed off.

"Until he's in surgery. I get it," he said. He knew my stomach was in a tight ball of nerves, so he wasn't going to push it.

We were in the way to Olympia for Edward's surgery. My dad had surprised me by taking the day off to drive me there, not wanting me on the road alone while I was sleepy and nervous. I was going to be spending the week in a hotel with Alice and her parents while Edward was in the hospital recovering. They'd projected he'd be there for at least four days before he'd be released to go home and continue daily and hourly physical therapy and rehabilitation.

Since we were out of school for spring break, the Cullens were allowing me to stay with them so I could make daily visits to see Edward.

Apart from my anxiety over the surgery, I also had a lot of worries about the week to come. The surgery today would determine a lot for how the next several days went. Obviously the doctors were cautiously optimistic that this would work in some capacity. Whether Edward eventually regained his ability to walk, or he remained wheelchair bound but gained back some feeling in his lower body, any of that would be considered a success.

I just knew how much pressure Edward was putting on himself for this to give him back the freedom he'd lost. As badly as he wanted it for himself, he also wanted it for all of us. He was scared of disappointing us, irrational as that may be.

"I need some caffeine. Do you mind if I stop?" He asked hesitantly. I was anxious to get to the hospital on time, to see Edward before his surgery. I glanced at the clock on the dash, noting that it was a quarter till six. His surgery was scheduled to begin at seven am, and the doctors estimated it could take anywhere from eight to ten hours depending. I knew we were in for a really long day today, so I just nodded to my dad, not wanting to begrudge him anything that would help him get through it with me.

* * *

When we pulled up to the hospital about 30 minutes later, we drove around to parking lot D, where Alice told us to go in the text she'd sent me earlier.

Dad and I climbed out, and I reached for my purse and my tote bag, filled with a book, my phone charger, a few snacks, and a clean change of clothes, since I didn't really know when I'd be leaving the hospital.

"Do you need that?" My dad asked, nodding to the rolling suitcase in the backseat of his truck.

"I'll just get it later," I shrugged, figuring I'd have a chance at some point to come get it and put it in the Cullen's car.

The doors made a pop as they slid open in the quiet morning, allowing us entry to Olympia Medical.

There'd been a lot of talk about where the surgery would take place. Neither Forks nor Port Angeles had a big enough surgical team or the equipment to handle this type of operation. Seattle was the initial idea, since that's where Dr. Barrow had been set up while he was here. But Olympia was closer and could accommodate the surgery just as well. That meant that when Edward was cleared to go home, the ride hopefully wouldn't be as long or demanding.

Dad and I walked through the halls, following the signs to the elevators. It was too early for anyone to be sitting at the front desks in the lobby, so we were on our own.

"Alice said they were on the second floor, in the surgery waiting room," I told my dad. He nodded, pressing the two button after we stepped in the elevator.

Edward would be moved to the ICU for the first night following his surgery, and then the Orthopedics department in the days after, for physical therapy and around the clock care.

Once we exited, it took a few turns before we found the waiting room.

"Bella, Charlie!" Alice said, jumping up from the chair she was in to run to us when we walked in.

"Alice!" I replied, dropping my bags and letting my body sag against hers in a hug, a relief of emotion I didn't realize I was holding onto so tightly.

She eventually let go of me and reached for my dad, giving him a quick hug.

"Where are your parents?" I asked.

"Back there with Edward in pre-op. Only two can go back at a time. I'll text them that you're here so you can switch off with them," she said to me, smiling as she reached for her phone.

I didn't know how long she'd been awake, or how much sleep she'd gotten. She looked tired, both from lack of rest and from the weight of her optimism. I could tell she was trying hard to be positive for the rest of us.

"Hey guys," we heard a few minutes later, looking up to see Mr. and Mrs. Cullen walking out of a door beside the check-in window.

"Edward's back there waiting. Alice, why don't you walk Bella back?" Mrs. Cullen said.

I grabbed my phone and walked back with Alice. The gang had demanded a picture of Edward in his hospital gown.

I followed Alice through the door and turned left, down a hall with small little rooms hidden by curtains, all patients waiting for procedures.

We got about halfway down before she turned left and pulled back a curtain.

Edward was laying in a small bed wearing a hospital gown, a blue cloth shower cap covering his hair. His eyes were closed, his hands at his sides. He looked tense and tired.

"Edward, look who I found," Alice called, causing him to open his sleepy eyes and squint up at in the brightly lit small space.

"Bella," he breathed, a smile on his handsome face.

"Hey," I said dumbly, walking towards him.

He reached for my hand as I got to the bed, looking up at me quietly.

"I'll just leave you two..." Alice trailed, stepping out of the tiny room and pulling the curtain closed.

Edward already had an IV in his arm, a few hospital bracelets around his wrist.

"You made it," he smiled again.

"Of course I did," I grinned, sitting down in the hard plastic chair beside his bed.

There was a plastic bag on the floor with his clothes in it, and his wheelchair was folded up tight beside it.

"Where's your dad? Didn't want to come see me?" He asked.

"He told me to kiss you for him," I joked, causing him to chuckle. "He's in the waiting room. I can go get him for you..." I started, moving to stand.

"No, stay," he pleaded.

"Okay," I smiled.

My phone buzzed in my hand then, and I looked down to see I had an incoming FaceTime call from Eric.

"Hello?" I answered, wondering if he was somehow buttdialing in his sleep because I couldn't imagine him being awake at 6:30 on the first day of spring break.

"Hey!" We heard as the screen opened to show the faces of all of our friends.

"What the...?" I asked, showing the phone to Edward.

"We all got together so we could call you guys and wish Ed good luck!" Emmett called.

"Where all y'all?" I asked.

"At the Waffle House, Dolly," Eric replied.

"Dolly?" I asked.

"As in Parton," he confirmed, never one to miss a chance.

I rolled my eyes and grinned as I took in the faces of Angela, Jessica, Eric, Ben, Kevin, Rose, Jasper, and Emmett. They all filled up a couple of booths and had chairs slid up to the tables, mounds of breakfast plates surrounding them.

"You guys are amazing," Edward said groggily.

"You sleepy, buddy?" Emmett asked.

"They gave me something for nerves. It's making me a little tired," Edward grinned.

"What about Bella? Did they give her anything for nerves? She gets the poops otherwise," Eric volunteered, then got a smack in the arm from Angela.

"What? She's the one that told us that!"

"Anyway...when is the surgery supposed to start?" Jessica asked.

"Soon, I think," I replied, glancing at the clock on the wall in the room.

"Dr. Barrow said he'd be by promptly at 7," Edward told them.

"Alright, well we won't keep you. Just wanted to wish you good luck, man," Emmett said.

"Good luck!" They all called in unison, and my eyes teared up at the sight of our friends, up early on their week off of school, all coming together to send their love to Edward.

"Thanks, guys. I love you all," Edward said, his voice slow and rough with drowsiness from the medicine.

Once we hung up, I reached for Edward's hand again, acutely aware of how little time we had left before they came to get him.

"How are you feeling, honestly?" I asked.

"Well, I may be getting cold feet, but I can't really tell..." he grinned.

"Alright mister, that was the last one. No more digs at yourself after this," I told him sternly.

"Yes ma'am," he nodded.

"I won't need to anyway," he continued. "I'm going to walk out of here in a few days," he smiled. We both knew that was next to impossible, even if the surgery was successful. He was going to need a lot of rehabilitation before he'd even be able to stand again, much less walk.

But we didn't say anymore, choosing instead to smile at each other and enjoy the quiet tenderness as our fingers softly tangled together.

"Bella?" Edward finally said.

"Yeah?"

"I love you. No matter what, that won't ever change. Until you, I truly never knew I could be this happy. I don't know about the whole 'everything happens for a reason' thing. Sometimes I think that's just bullshit we tell ourselves when things don't go our way. But I do think there was a reason you came to Forks when you did. If you'd met me before all of this," he said, gesturing to his legs under the hospital blanket, "then who knows what might have happened," he shrugged.

"Yeah, just think. If I hadn't come when I did, maybe you'd be sitting here with Lauren instead," I winked. He chuckled.

"She's not so bad. There just wasn't any chemistry. And I was already falling pretty hard for someone else by the time she made her overt advances," he laughed.

"Yeah yeah. I still maintain that you enjoyed her attention that day of the Fall for Forks festival," I said, leaning in close to him.

"And I still maintain that you were jealous," he whispered, closing the distance to put his soft lips against mine.

Before we had time to deepen it, we heard a throat clearing and turned to see a tall black man with hair greying at the temples and small glasses perched on his nose. He was in scrubs and a long white jacket.

"Mr. Cullen, your nurses are here to carry you to the operating room. By the time I get there, you'll already be fast asleep. Any last questions?" He asked in a thick British accent.

"No, sir. Thank you," Edward replied, as a nurse stepped in and began unhooking tubes from Edward's arm.

I stood up to give her more room and say one last goodbye to Edward.

"Was that Dr. Barrow?" I asked just before the nurse began pulling the bed away from the wall and out to the hall.

"Yeah," Edward replied.

"He's kinda hot," I grinned, which earned a scowl from Edward and a laugh from the nurse as she pushed his bed away from me and down the hall.

"But you're hotter!" I yelled, probably much too loudly for a quiet hospital.

The last thing I heard was Edward's laughter before they went through the double doors towards the operating room and a life altering surgery.

* * *

Roughly nine hours later, I'd had about all I could stand of the waiting area.

Alice, her parents, and I were nervous wrecks who also happened to be bored out of our minds. The TV in the room was an endless drone of the same five news stories, cycling over and over.

I'd read most of a book, watched a few shows on my phone, stress eaten all of my snacks plus a few more from the vending machine and lunch from the cafeteria, and Alice and I had even gone outside to walk a few laps around the track beside the hospital.

Mr. and Mrs. Cullen had been talking, reading newspapers, making phone calls, playing on their phones, and feeding off of our nervous energy all day.

My dad had left around lunch time to get home and get some rest before an early shift tomorrow. Plus Pretzel was probably pissed that no one was home all day to give him an early dinner after his early breakfast this morning.

Miss Tori was keeping Clara for the week, since she was one of the few people who knew how to care for her properly. She'd already sent me a few pictures and videos of the rambunctious little dachshund that I had shared with the Cullens and was saving for Edward.

A nurse from the operating room had called a few times, letting us know things were going well. The last update had come an hour ago, and we were thinking and hoping we'd get a call that the surgery was over soon.

Alice was texting away to Jasper, and I was scrolling Facebook when the door from the pre-surgical area opened and Dr. Barrow walked out.

At once, the four of us stood and watched him stride over to us.

"Dr. Cullen and Mrs. Cullen," he started, and damn it, why did doctors always have to look so somber? It didn't matter what news they were delivering, they never looked anything but melancholy. Maybe it was the nine hours he'd just spent on his feet, hunched over a person he was operating on, I thought to myself.

"Yes?" Mrs. Cullen asked, her nervous energy almost tangible in the air.

"The surgery went well. We were able to transplant several nerves into the lower part of Edward's spine, where the most damage occurred from the accident and resulting unsuccessful surgeries. Ideally, they will start to attach rather quickly, but it could be hours, days, weeks even before we know the extent of the growth and reattachment that the transplanted nerves will be able to do," he explained.

"So do you think he will wal—" Alice started.

"We have no way of knowing that yet, Miss Cullen. But we do believe he will regain some feeling in his legs and feet rather quickly. We will be doing several tests to see if he feels anything in his lower body. We were also able to repair some of the other nerves that were already there but had been injured or severed. That, alone, should give him a good bit of feeling back," Dr. Barrow continued to explain.

"He's in recovery now for the next hour, and has been under heavy sedation. We also gave him an epidural that will take a bit longer to wear off. I would suggest you four go grab some dinner and then come back in about an hour. He will be moved to a room in ICU for the night, and then provided tomorrow goes well, he can go to a regular room for the duration of his stay," Dr. Barrow finished.

"Dr. Barrow, we can't thank you enough," Mr. Cullen said, reaching to shake the man's hand.

"Well Dr. Cullen, I only hope you have true reason to thank me. I do hope we've been successful here today," Dr. Barrow said, shaking Mr. Cullen's hand in return. "Truly, your son is remarkable. Even just for his willingness to try this, it shows a lot about his character."

* * *

Mrs. Cullen had been completely unwilling to leave the hospital for food, so Alice and I rode with Mr. Cullen to pick up some subs for the four of us. I had offered to stay with Mrs. Cullen, but she promised she was fine. She had several calls to make to relatives and friends with updates on the surgery.

I sent a group text to our friends with as much of what Dr. Barrow had told us as I could remember, then copied and sent to same text to each of my parents.

I rolled my eyes and smiled when I got a Facebook alert with the exact same message posted by Jessica and shared about 18 times by various people who I wasn't even sure Edward knew. People sure did love the attention they got from sharing other people's news, but it was happy news so I couldn't find it in me to care.

We also stopped at Walmart to pick up a few things for Edward that we thought he might need. Alice insisted he needed the overly large stuffed dog she found in the toy section. Mr. Cullen got him a few t-shirts and some comfortable pants to wear, along with some thick socks.

I grabbed several packs of his favorite candies—white chocolate Reese eggs because Easter candy is the best, a variety pack of Airheads, and his favorite butterscotch discs because sometimes I think he's a 90 year old man.

Once we had our food and purchases loaded into Mr. Cullens car, we made one final stop at the gas station for large drinks. Edward loved Dr. Pepper, so I got him a few bottles for later. Alice and I got giant cokes, Mr. Cullen got some bottles of water and refilled his car tank, and then we made our way back to the hospital.

"He's in his room!" Alice called cheerfully from the front seat as she waved a Twizzler around, reading a text on her phone from who I assumed was her mom.

My heart sped up, knowing that meant he was awake and I would be seeing him very soon.

* * *

"Alright girls, remember, the ICU is a quieter place. They will let the four of us into his room to visit, but we do have to be respectful of other patients around us," Mr. Cullen reminded us as we pulled into the parking lot. It was just after six in the evening, but still light out, the clouds covering a bit of the sun but giving us a break from rain.

"Yes, sir," we replied to him, gathering our purchases, dinner, and drinks.

"Mom said they are on the seventh floor, room 702," Alice said as we climbed onto the elevator. The hospital was much busier now than it had been this morning, and we stuffed ourselves towards the back as more passengers climbed on when we stopped at a few floors.

By the time we got out of the elevator, I was desperately ready to set all my stuff down and see Edward.

Of course, by the time we got to his room, Mrs. Cullen was shushing us and nodding over to the bed, where Edward lay asleep, hooked up to several IVs of medication and fluid, a catheter bag hanging from the bed.

"He was awake only a few minutes, but couldn't fight it any more. The nurses said he will be in and out of it for a bit, so we may as well get comfortable," Mrs. Cullen explained.

There was a small couch in the room, where I knew she planned to sleep when she stayed with him tonight. There was also a stiff looking reclining chair and a hard plastic chair. I opted for it, since it was closer to the bed.

We talked quietly as a few nurses came in and out to check on Edward, and I watched as the sun set outside while Wheel of Fortune played softly from the TV mounted on the wall.

"Won't he be uncomfortable in that position?" I asked one of his nurses, wondering how he was going to stay on his back when he'd just had surgery on it.

"For now, he's still on enough medication that he's not feeling much. But the incision is actually pretty small, and covered with soft bandage. He may be a bit uncomfortable but nothing unbearable. Whenever he gets to lay down, it will be a welcome reprieve from the demanding PT schedule Dr. Barrow has laid out for him," she said, checking his catheter bag one more time before pulling off her plastic gloves and tossing them in the trash.

"Girls, the hotel is just down the road. What's say we head that way and get cleaned up for the night? We can come back to drop Esme off and say goodnight to Edward. He's probably going to be asleep for a while," Mr. Cullen said, standing up and gathering the wrappers from our subs.

"Sounds good. I'm in desperate need of a shower," Alice said, sniffing her underarms and wrinkling her nose.

"If it's okay, I'd like to stay here a little longer. I know he's asleep, but...I just kind of want to be with him for a bit longer before we call it a night. I can go back with guys later," I said, hopeful for some time to just sit quietly with my sleeping boyfriend. Just knowing he was safe and here and whole was enough for me, and I wanted to soak up a little time with him while I could.

Mr. Cullen glanced at Mrs. Cullen, and they grinned and nodded.

"Sure, sweetheart. Let us know if he wakes up. We will be back soon," Mrs. Cullen said.

They gathered their things and left quickly, promising to take my suitcase to the hotel room for me when they got there.

After a while, it was just Edward and me. I had my phone in my lap, bored with all of my social media apps and not really in the mood to text anyone.

I glanced up at the TV, barely paying attention to the rerun of Big Bang Theory playing.

Eventually the night nurse came in to check on Edward and change out an IV bag. She was a middle aged woman, short and round and far too happy looking to be coming in for a night shift. She introduced herself as Nurse Nikki.

"How are you doing, sweetie?" She asked, looking at me with a small smile while she worked her gloved hands over Edward.

"I'm okay," I said back, not really sure how I was doing. Or how I would be doing until Edward woke up.

"How much longer do you think he will sleep?" I asked her.

"No telling, love. But the sweet thing needs his rest. He was under heavy sedation for many hours today," she said.

"I know. I just...want to talk to him. I want to ask him how he feels. I want to ask him if—if he feels..." I started, looking at Edward's sleeping form, the oxygen mask on his face making him look so fragile.

"You'll get to. You'll have your answers soon. Come on, help me with this," she nodded, and I stood.

"Pull the blankets back carefully. We need to move his legs every few hours so they don't get stiff. The last thing we want is for his first feeling back in them to be tingling and cramps," she explained.

I helped Nurse Nikki pull the blankets off of Edward, revealing his bare legs. His gown was long, down to his knees. His feet were covered in the bright yellow socks they put on him before surgery.

"Now, just carefully lift his leg and bend it a little at the knee," she instructed, showing me how she bent his right leg so I could do the same with his left.

After a few bends, she slowly and softly set his leg back down on the bed, and I did the same.

"There now. We will need to do that as often as possible until we get him up and moving tomorrow," she said, pulling the blankets back up and over him.

"Up and moving?" I said, surprised.

"Yes ma'am. The doctor plans to start rehab as early as tomorrow. The sooner we get these legs moving, the better chance we have," she shrugged.

"Do you think it worked? Do you think he's going to walk again?" I asked her honestly.

"Honey, I have no way of answering that. You can pray for it, if that's your thing. You can believe that Dr. Barrow is a brilliant surgeon, because he is. And you can trust that this young man is strong."

I sat back in the chair and slipped my hand under the blankets to absently scratch Edward's leg while he slept. Now that I'd had the bit of physical contact with him moving his leg, I wanted more. Needed it.

"What if it didn't work? What if he...doesn't walk again?" I asked her softly, looking at her hands, at the glimmering ring on her finger as she peeled off the blue medical gloves.

"But darling, what if he does?" She asked, her optimism and smile so infectious. She left the room with that, leaving me in peace with Edward.

I glanced down at my phone. It was nearing nine, and I knew Alice and her parents would be back soon to get me. I'd really been hoping Edward would wake up before I left for the night, but that was looking less and less likely.

I continued to stroke my nails up and down the top of his leg, feeling the bone there, my fingers running through the course hair.

I used my left hand to play a random free game I'd downloaded, popping bubbles of different colors three at a time.

I had just closed the game to text my dad when I heard him.

"That feels amazing, baby," he said softly.

I whipped around in my chair, my mouth falling open as I took in Edward, laying there with half hooded eyes and a lazy grin on his face.

"You...you felt that?" I gasped, my hand bracing around his leg, my heart racing. Tears were already forming in my eyes as my mind fully understood what he'd said.

He smiled wider, his eyes opening further as his hand reached for my free one, which had abandoned my phone and was beside his on the bed.

"I felt that," he answered.

* * *

 **Wellll? What do we think? Was it worth the wait?**

 **I think one more chapter and an epilogue left.**

 **Precious Edward and his old man candy. What's your favorite candy? What would you want/did you want during a hospital stay?**


	18. Chapter 18

**Friends, I can't thank you enough for the response to the last chapter for sticking around after so many months. I truly appreciate all of the reviews, favorites, and views. I'm so glad you're enjoying this story.**

 **This is the last chapter, but I do plan to post an epilogue soon. I hope you enjoy how this story comes to a close and love these characters as much as I do.**

 **To Chicsarah, thank you for always being ready to give feedback, clean up the writing, and be as excited about the reviews as I am. This is our story, and I hope you're as happy with it as I am. I love you!**

 **Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable characters herein. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

"What about this one?"

"No. Hard pass."

"Why? It's pretty."

"You are such a boy," I sighed, using my thumb to continue scrolling.

Edward and I were laying on my bed, scrolling Pinterest in search of tattoo ideas.

"Ohh, that one!" He said excitedly, reaching over to point. "That would be so sexy on you. Right...here..." he whispered into my ear, his other hand tapping my jean covered hip.

"No. No way. No hip tattoos. I already told you I wanted it on my wrist. And this one is way overdone. It's so cliche," I replied, though my focus was more on the chills his breath in my ear caused.

"Cliches aren't always bad. They are cliches for a reason. Because people like them and they stand the test of time," Edward explained, flopping his head back on the pillow.

"Maybe so, Aristotle. But I'm not getting a butterfly. I don't even care much about them, and it wouldn't mean anything to me," I shrugged.

"Well none of them are going to mean anything to you if you're just picking them at random off the Internet," Edward said.

"Touché," I sighed, closing my phone and tossing it on the bed.

Edward already had his design picked out. He'd been messaging back and fourth with an artist in Port Angeles, who'd drawn up a simple but meaningful design he was getting on his forearm this weekend. He was pretty excited about it, and I'd decided I was going to get something small with him. I just had no idea what.

I rolled to my left side, draping my arm over his tight, t-shirt covered stomach.

"How are they today?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Pretty good," he said, wiggling his sock covered toes.

"How much can you feel?"

"Honestly, I can feel parts of them all the way down. Just nothing strong enough to hold me up," Edward said, eyeing his wheelchair by the bed.

It had been about a month since his surgery, and we were only a week and a half away from graduation. Edward was doing all of his school work from home, but since his grades were all so good, he wasn't going to have to take all of his finals. He'd come to school for the one he did have, but otherwise he was mostly done. We both were, as there was little work to be done for seniors in the last two weeks of school.

Edward went to therapy every single day of the week for hours a day. He'd gained back a lot of feeling in his legs and could even move them a good bit when he was sitting. But he still couldn't walk or even stand on them. They just weren't strong enough yet. I wasn't sure if they ever would be.

"What'd you do today?" I asked.

"A lot of pool stuff. When I'm in there, I get close to walking, with the help of my therapists. It's a start," he said.

The doctors told us he wouldn't walk right away even if he did eventually walk again. He'd been in a wheelchair for over a year, and regardless of how much they were able to repair, he needed a lot of time to build up any kind of strength and muscle he'd lost.

"That's why you smell so good," I joked.

"I showered before I came over, thank you very much," he said, rolling himself to his right side to face me—something he'd never been able to do before without help—using his legs to move easier.

"What time is it?" I asked quietly, leaning closer to him.

"A quarter til five. Why?" He asked, though the mischievous look in his eye told me he knew exactly why I was asking.

"Just wondering how much longer we'd be alone," I whispered, closing the space between us and effectively ending our conversation.

* * *

"One. More. Freaking. Week," Jessica said with a dramatic sigh as she dropped her book bag to the floor and flopped down into her chair at the lunch table.

"Until the doctor calls with your test results?" Eric asked somberly.

"I think I'll miss you the least," Jessica replied with a growl.

"That's fine. I'll remember you when I'm doing makeup for Celine Dion and I join the Fab 5," Eric said, tossing his non-existent long hair over his shoulder and turning towards Kevin, who was just laughing.

We were all headed in several different directions after the summer, and joking about it was the only thing keeping us from feeling overwhelmingly sad.

Eric was headed to one of the better cosmetology schools in Seattle. Edward and I were both going to the University of Washington.

Rosalie and Emmett were headed to Evergreen State, a much smaller school in Olympia. She wanted to study music, and he didn't really care what he studied as long as he was with her.

Kevin was going out of state to a school in California. He was able to get funding since his dad lived there. I wasn't sure what that'd mean for him and Eric, and we all thought it best not to ask.

Angela was going to a private school in Tacoma, the same Lutheran college that her father went to. Ben and Jessica were planning to stay close and go to a near by tech school. Ben wasn't sure what he wanted to do, but Jessica was pretty sure she wanted to be a dental hygienist.

We were all scattering in different paths, and I was excited for them, but sad to be losing some of the best friends I'd ever had, less than a year after I'd found them.

It was bittersweet, thinking about our future. Edward was still pretty sure he eventually wanted to go medical school, but I had no real idea what I wanted to do.

I was equal parts excited and anxious for the coming months. I'd never planned to graduated high school without the friends I'd grown up with, but now that I was here, I realized this was the place I was meant to finish my youth. This was my coming of age, and I was so grateful for the move that brought me to this unique, hilarious, amazing group of friends.

"Bella, what's your man doing here?" Eric asked, watching as Edward came through the lunch room doors in his wheelchair, Emmett walking beside him. The two of them were talking and laughing.

"Hey guys," Edward called, wheeling up to the end of the table he'd always sat at throughout the year. Emmett tossed his book bag to the floor and sat down beside Rosalie, reaching for a Cheez-It from the bag she was eating out of.

"What's up? What are you doing here?" I asked, turning to Edward.

"Thought I'd join you guys for lunch," he shrugged, holding up a Subway bag that had been in his lap. "I figured I'd get one more group lunch in before we didn't get to anymore," he told me, and the table grew quiet.

"So how's therapy going, man?" Kevin asked, breaking the silence.

"Good, good," Edward said, unwrapping his sandwich and handing me half. "Got the Italian, your favorite," he winked.

"But turkey is your favorite," I protested.

"You're my favorite," he smiled, his eyes meeting mine with a sparkle. I loved the lightness in his mood these days.

"Oh geeeeeeeez. Yo, Ross, Rachel, we get it, you're in love. Tell us about your legs," Eric said, snapping his hand in our direction.

"Okay, first of all? We are 100% Monica and Chandler," I clarified, earning a laugh from the others.

"It's going well," Edward said, not offering much more.

"Well, can you walk yet?" Jessica asked, before Angela elbowed her in the side. "What?" Jessica shrieked.

"It's fine, Jess. And no, not yet. But I'm making progress," Edward said, taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Why were you coming in with Emmett? He's usually the first to lunch," Rose asked, eyeing Emmett curiously.

"Oh, uh, he saw me in the parking lot and waited on me in the lobby," Edward said, looking down and shoving another huge bite of sandwich in his mouth.

"Yeah, and old Wheels here doesn't get in a hurry for anybody," Emmett said. Rosalie popped him on the back of the head and Edward nearly choked from laughing so hard at his new nickname.

I laughed along with them, all the while wondering why Emmett would be in the lobby of the school, which wasn't even remotely on the way from the classrooms to the lunch room.

* * *

"Alright man, you ready?"

"Yep," Edward nodded, sitting in the tattoo chair, his left arm turned out, the stencil perfectly placed high up in his forearm, near the crease of his arm.

"It's gonna sting like a bitch," the artist, Keith, told him as his foot pumped the pedal that brought the tattoo needle to life. He leaned in, gently placing the gun to Edward's skin over the stencil.

"How is it?" I asked, watching Edward barely flinch.

"I've had worse," he said, but then gritted his teeth a bit as Keith worked closer to the crease of his arm.

I watched in fascination as the design transformed from stencil to ink, permanently embedded into his skin. Keith worked quietly, only the buzz of his tattoo gun making a sound.

Edward laid his head back and closed his eyes, breathing deep through his nose.

"Halfway done, man. Won't take too much longer," Keith said, reaching over to dip the needle in a small pot of ink.

"You're making me nervous," I told Edward. His free hand was gripping the arm of the chair so tightly I could see the veins bulging in the back of his hands, his knuckles completely white.

Edward blew out a big breath through his nose.

"I won't try to be manly and say it doesn't hurt," he chuckled. "But after the past year, I welcome any kind of feeling, even if it's pain," Edward said stoically.

I lasted about five full seconds before I burst into laughter.

"What?" He asked defensively.

"Sorry, sorry. That was just really corny. You just sounded like John Green novel," I said, laughing again. Keith broke his stern face of concentration and the corner of his mouth went up.

Edward rolled his eyes but laughed.

"That was pretty cheesy," he remarked, his body relaxing visibly when Keith took a damp cloth and rubbed at the fresh tattoo on his arm.

"What's that?" I asked as he poured more liquid on a clean paper towel and gently wiped again at Edward's arm, clearing away the swipes of ink that weren't etched into his skin.

"Witch hazel. Takes a bit of the sting out," Keith explained, reaching into a drawer for a sterile cushioned bandage pad.

"Take a look, man. You're all done," he said to Edward.

Edward looked down, admiring his first tattoo.

"You like it?" I asked, standing to walk closer and take a look.

"I love it, man. This is awesome," Edward said, using his other arm to reach up and shake Keith's hand in a weird, bro shake thing that all boys seem to know how to do.

The tattoo really was lovely. Simple, about four inches across his arm and all in black. Oddly, we'd discovered that the date of Edward's injury and the date of his surgery had both occurred on a full moon. So across Edward's arm was a small, complete moon phase. Above it was the date of his injury in Roman numerals, below it the date of his surgery.

"Awesome, man. Let's get you bandaged up and then get your girl in the chair," he said, laying the black bandage pad over Edward's arm, taping it down with some skin adhesive.

"You ready?" Keith asked a few minutes later, after he'd cleaned his station and laid out all new, sterile supplies.

"I think so," I nodded, my belly doing nervous flips and my heart racing. The design I finally picked was pretty small, and Keith said it wouldn't take but a few minutes because there was no color or shading.

Keith moistened my arm and then hovered the stencil paper over my wrist as I sat in the chair with it out-turned.

"Right here?" He asked.

"Perfect," I nodded, and he carefully laid the stencil against my wrist and rubbed so that the design stuck. He pulled it back and away from my skin, revealing in blue pen ink what was about to become permanent black.

"Good?" He asked again. I held my wrist up and showed Edward, who was back in his wheelchair and sitting beside me.

He grinned and nodded.

"Good," I confirmed again.

"Alright girl, take a deep breath and try not to tense up," Keith said, which I was able to do for about a half a second until I heard the sound of the tattoo gun buzzing to life again.

I took a few deep breaths, and exactly as he said not to, I tensed up the moment the needle touched my skin.

I knew I was squinting my eyes closed, feeling him move it around on the delicate flesh of my wrist. It felt a bit like a hot razor blade slowly scraping around my skin, and I had to remind myself to breath out the first time he stopped and went to dip the needle in more ink.

I glanced down, realizing he wasn't halfway done and just wishing for it to end soon as my forehead started to sweat.

"You're doing good, just a bit more," Edward said, reaching over with his freshly tattooed arm to place his hand over mine on the armrest of the chair. I flipped my hand up and linked my fingers into his.

"Squeeze my hand if you need to," he encouraged.

"You probably shouldn't have said that," I told him, squeezing his hand as hard as I could grip when Keith went over the tendon that stuck out a bit in the middle of my wrist.

"Almost done," Keith promised, turning back for what I hoped was his last dip of ink.

I kept my eyes closed, squeezing Edward's hand and breathing heavy, in through my nose and out through my mouth.

Every second that Keith wiped away excess ink was a brief reprieve from the onslaught of sharp, stinging pain to my wrist. I was just hoping I loved this tattoo because I was never, ever putting myself through this again.

"All done," Keith said, sitting back and pulling the rubber bands off of his gun, dropping the needle into a sterile biohazard container.

He pulled a paper towel off, folded it, and wet it down gently with witch hazel. Once the cold rag touched my wrist, the relief was amazing. It still hurt, but the pain was bearable now that the needle wasn't actually touching my skin.

"What do you think?" Keith asked, and finally I looked down at the small design.

For all of my complaining, I'd chosen something pretty common and probably a little cliche. It was made up of swirls and lines and flower petals shaped into a paw print. It was delicate and small, and absolutely perfect.

"I love it," I breathed, a wide grin spreading across my face. I held it up to show Edward, and he reached for my hand and lightly touched the skin on the sides of my wrist, careful not to hurt the tender flesh.

"It's beautiful, baby," he told me, smiling.

"It is. I'm glad we did this," I grinned, watching as he flipped my hand over and kissed the top of it gently.

Once my tattoo was bandaged and we were given our aftercare instructions, we paid for our new artwork and left the shop.

"Where to next?" Edward asked when we got out to the sidewalk. It was breezy and overcast, but finally not raining. I loved Port Angeles like this. Bustling, busy, full of life on a Saturday afternoon.

"We could get our noses pierced?" I suggested, nodding to the other tattoo shop across the street that had a neon sign advertising "All piercings, $20."

"I was kind of thinking sushi," Edward chuckled.

"Good call," I laughed. There was a sushi and tapas restaurant a block away, so we left my car parked where it was and walked down there.

Once we were seated across from each other, looking through our menus, Edward started to lift the edge of his bandage.

"Stop it!" I hissed at him.

"I just wanted to see it again," he said back to me.

"You heard Keith. He said to leave these on for an hour, and then wash them with the orange Dial soap and warm water. And then the ointment. Which reminds me, we need to stop at CVS or somewhere and get the soap and ointment," I rambled.

"Yes ma'am," Edward chuckled, looking down at his menu.

"Want to split a Dragon Roll and Crazy Susan?" I asked after a while, knowing those were our favorites.

"And some fried green olives?" He asked hopefully.

"Sure," I smiled.

After the waitress took our order, we sat sipping on our drinks in comfortable silence.

"So," Edward spoke up. "I figured it's for Pretzel, but I didn't really ever ask you what made you choose the paw print," he finished.

"Well, I mean yeah, it is for Pretzel. And Clara. And Archie maybe even a little," I answered.

Edward quirked his eyebrow at me but stayed silent, beckoning me to continue.

"I always wanted a pet growing up but never had one. My mom is allergic—or at least claims to be allergic—to cats. And she doesn't really like dogs, so I never got to have a pet. But I've always loved animals. We lived in a subdivision in Phoenix and in Jacksonville, so I saw neighbors walking their dogs often. When I was younger, I'd sit outside when I knew some would walk by so I could pet them sometimes," I shrugged.

"Anyway, when we found Pretzel, it felt like fate. He needed me, and I was able to give him a home. And he's the sweetest cat. Even my dad has bonded with him," I explained.

"So Pretzel is the reason," he nodded.

"And you," I said quietly.

"Me? I mean, I'm flattered, but you know I don't have paws, right?" Edward joked, picking up his drink to take a sip.

I rolled my eyes but continued.

"The day we found Pretzel was also the day you told me you liked me. The first time you kissed me," I said, watching Edward's face soften into a shy grin. "So in a way, it's like he kind of represents us. The both of you wiggled your ways into my heart on the same day, and you've been there ever since," I finished.

"Who's John Green now?" Edward snorted after a few long seconds, ducking just in time to dodge the piece of breadstick I threw at him.

"Hush, you," I told him. "Anyway, then Clara came into our lives, and she's the most fearless little creature I've ever met. She doesn't let her chair slow her down ever, and she doesn't let it keep her from loving her humans. She's the first dog I've ever really loved, and she came to you in a time when I think you needed her most," I told him as the waiter arrived with our sushi and olives.

We dug into our food then, munching on the sushi and remarking how good it was.

"Wait, you also mentioned Archie earlier. That has me the most curious," Edward said.

"Remember when we were working on our biography projects and asking questions about each other? You told me about Disney Doggy Day or whatever it was, and how you guys adopted Archie from a senior dog shelter not long after that?" I asked.

"Yeah, I remember, ceramics queen," he winked.

"I think that was when I realized how much I liked you. How incredible you were. Hearing about your love for a dog who only had a few years left in him, but how he was still your best friend until the end—I just knew you were a special person then," I shrugged.

"Sometimes I think you think far too highly of me," Edward said, setting his chop sticks down and reaching across the table for my hand.

"Sometimes I don't think you think highly enough of yourself," I replied.

* * *

Later that night—or rather the next morning—I was tossing and turning in Alice's room, trying to get at least a few hours of sleep before everyone would be waking up.

We'd decided to have one last group sleepover at the Cullen's house. All of the boys were spread out on couches, Jessica and Angela were in one of the guest bedrooms, and Rose, Alice and I were squeezed into Alice's queen sized bed. The both of them were dead to the world, but I was hugging the edge of the bed with little in the way of comfort.

I glanced up at my phone that was on the nightstand, seeing the soft glow as a text came through.

 _You still awake?_

 **Yep, your sister snores too loud.**

 _Sneak over to my room. I don't snore ;)_

It was risky, but I couldn't pass up a chance for a clandestine snuggle fest with my cute boyfriend knowing he was right across the hall.

 **On my way**

As carefully and quietly as I could, I slid out from under the covers and tiptoed to the door. I may have been a bit overdramatic in checking both directions of the hall to make sure no one was out there, using my cellphone as a dim light to guide me.

Once I got to Edward's bedroom door, I knocked lightly and heard a quiet "come in" before I pushed the door open.

He was sitting on the edge of his bed, his feet on the floor. He was only wearing basketball shorts, and in the soft light of only the bedside table lamp, he looked so gorgeous.

"Hey beautiful," he said softly, and even though I was in leggings and a giant t-shirt, messy ponytail and no makeup, I had no doubts that he meant it.

"Hey yourself," I told him, walking forward to stand in front of him.

He reached out to grab both of my hands in his, holding them tightly.

"I want to show you something," he said.

I quirked my eyebrow and gave him an up and down glance.

"Not that, you perv," he laughed. "Scoot back a little," he said, dropping my hands. I took a few steps back and watched as he put both hands behind him, leaning to brace himself on the bed.

He looked focused, concentrating on his legs. I watched the muscles in his stomach constrict as he lifted his left leg up, slowly and shakily, onto the bed, without using his hands to help.

"Edward," I breathed, but he continued.

With the same slow, jerky movements, he lifted his right leg up and onto the bed, then sat up straighter using his arms and pushing up from his feet.

"Whoa," I told him, because it was the most movement I'd seen his legs have since surgery. .Other than twitches, rolling and wiggling feet and toes, he hadn't been able to really lift and move them without reaching for them and using his arms to do the work.

He just sat on the bed smiling, then patted his lap.

"That's it. That's all I got," he laughed. "Get over here now, please," he commanded.

I giggled and jumped to him, straddling his outstretched legs. He was sitting up completely on his own, without the support of his headboard even.

"That was amazing," I told him, leaning in to capture his smile in a kiss.

"It's a start," he shrugged, ever humble.

"Edward, it's so far beyond a start. Your work is paying off. You are getting stronger every day," I told him, holding his head between my hands. His hands were wrapped around me, working there way under my T-shirt to rub my bare back.

"Until you," he whispered, his forehead against mine.

"Until me what?" I asked.

"I never knew how much I could love someone," he said, closing the small distance between us.

After several heated minutes, my shirt and bra were on the floor, and we remained sitting up, bare chest to chest. I could feel him hard underneath me, his breath getting heavier as I rocked against him.

My head fell back as his mouth captured my nipple, his tongue swirling until my skin erupted in goosebumps.

"Baby," he moaned when I rocked harder against him, desperate for friction.

"I know, we should stop," I whispered.

"No, I didn't—I mean, we don't have to," he whispered, looking up at me with half hooded eyes.

"Wait, did you ask? Did the doctor say...?"

"He said it was fine. That the incision looked great and that I would be fine," he said, his cheeks turning a bit pink at the admission that he'd asked his doctor for permission to have post-surgery sex.

"And you're sure? You feel alright?" I asked.

"Positive. I've been dying to try it now that I can, you know, feel so much more," he smiled.

"Okay," I grinned, standing to move off of him.

"Hey, come back," he groaned.

"Well we can't really do much with these on," I laughed motioning to my leggings.

"Good point," he grinned. And then, as if he'd been able to all along, he laid back and shimmied out of his own shorts and boxers, taking them off and dropping them to the floor by the bed.

I just smiled, sauntering back to the bed and to my incredibly gorgeous, incredibly naked boyfriend, who was unabashedly stroking himself slowly as he watched me move closer to him.

"You're so damn sexy," he told me once I laid down beside him on the bed, using my hand to push his away and take its place, pumping him up and down as he leaned in to kiss me.

For minutes or maybe hours, we laid in the bed kissing slowly, touching each other and breathing heavy in our desire. His fingers were between my legs, working me into a wet, heated frenzy.

And when I eventually took him into my mouth, he was _so_ much more vocal.

"Baby, it feels a thousand times more...more...just more," he moaned, his head thrown back on the pillow.

"I guess that means this will feel more more, too, then," I grinned, sitting up and swinging my leg over him, lining him up with my wet, swollen center.

I leaned down to kiss him, slowly easing him into me, taking him completely. I never got tired of being filled by him, of being so powerfully connected to him. It was the most personal, most intense thing—to become one with him.

"Fuckkkkkk," he groaned, ever the potty mouth when we were having sex.

"Yeah?" I asked, grinning as I moved my body up and down, feeling him hard and thick inside of me.

He reached down and put his thumb against me, picking up where he'd left off earlier. His other hand reached up to grab my breast as I leaned back, bracing on his legs, which were flexing as he did his best to thrust up and work with me. It hadn't ever been like this, with both of us being able to move so in tandem. It was incredible.

"I'm about to..." I gasped, trying desperately not to scream out as my legs shook and my orgasm overtook me.

Shortly after, I felt him pulsing inside of me, his own face one of pure ecstasy.

"Holy fuck," he whispered when I flopped down and laid on his chest, his arms reaching up to hold me to him.

"That was..."

"The best it's ever been," Edward finished.

I nodded and felt his lips on my head, kissing my messy hair, then my sweaty forehead.

"I love you so damn much, Bella Swan," he told me.

"I love you so damn much back, Edward Cullen," I declared.

* * *

"Bells, you almost ready?"

"Coming, just trying to find my..." I stopped, looking on my dresser for a flash of gold and garnet.

"Got it," I said, seeing it under a bra, making a note to clean my room soon.

"Sorry, sorry. Had to find my tassel," I said, holding it up when I got to the bottom of the stairs.

"We need to get a move on, hon. Your mom and Phil are meeting us there," my dad explained.

He looked dapper in his suit and tie, a crisp white shirt that I was pretty sure Sue had ironed for him when she was over here last night.

"You look beautiful," he told me, putting his arm around me and kissing my forehead.

"I look like a bottle of mustard," I laughed. I had my gold graduation gown on over a knee length black dress, black flat shoes to match.

I was wearing my pearls from Edward, my sapphire ring from my mom, and a new bracelet from my dad, a delicate bangle with a B charm hanging from it.

"You look like my daily dose of sunshine. Which is nice, considering that," dad said, looking up at the dark cloud forming. It was definitely going to rain today. Shocker.

"Still not crazy about this, though," he said, picking up my hand and nodding to the tattoo on my wrist.

"Dad, I—"

"You're an adult, I know, I know," he finished.

"Well yeah, but I was going to say I could be doing a lot worse. In the grand scheme of things, is a tiny tattoo to show my love for your grandcat really so bad?" I asked. He chuckled and opened my door for me to climb in.

"Nah, it's not. And speaking of doing worse, a certain one of your classmates isn't going to be walking that stage today," dad told me as he slid into the driver's side of his truck.

"What? Who?" I asked.

"Now don't repeat this. But you know that Crowley kid that hurt your friend last fall?" He asked.

"Tyler? Yeah, what did he do? Did he try to rape someone again?" I asked, getting angry at the thought that he could have hurt another classmate, or even got his clutches on Lauren again. She and I still weren't really friends, but I knew she'd been making strides to get over what happened to her and to grow from it. She was even planning to go away to school, some small, private school a few hours away.

"No, not that I know of. I hope not. But I picked him up at the Thriftway trying to buy beer with a fake ID," dad said, backing out of the driveway.

"Who the hell tries to buy beer with a fake ID at the Thriftway?" I asked.

"Well, he's tried just about everywhere else around town. But this town is too small, and whichever friend of his that usually works there and lets him get away with it must have been off for the night," dad explained.

"So using a fake ID was enough of an offense to get him arrested?" I asked, because yeah it was stupid, but I didn't think it was that much of an offense.

"It is when you're already three sheets to the wind on cheap booze and you have an illegal substance on you," he said.

"Like pot? That's legal here, though," I said.

"Try cocaine."

"Whoa," I said. I knew Tyler was shady, but this was some small town Forks scandal.

"Anyway, his parents decided then to let him stay in a cell for the weekend and keep him from graduating. Probably best he's not at any parties," dad said, pulling into the already crowded school parking lot.

"But enough about him. It's time to watch my baby girl graduate," dad said with a grin.

We met my mom and Phil by the auditorium entrance and exchanged quick hellos. I'd had my reunion with them last night, over a much more pleasant dinner. Mom and Edward hit it off after more apologies from mom, and she was even telling embarrassing childhood stories about me by the end of the evening.

I ran towards the line of students, searching for Jessica. We were beside each other because of our last names.

"Bella!" I heard, and turned to see Edward looking adorable in his cap and gown, sitting in his chair already in his place in line.

"Hey! I'm super late, but I love you and I'll see you after," I told him, leaning down to place a quick kiss on his lips.

"Don't trip!" He called to me as I hurried away.

"You either!" I yelled back, and heard his laughter as I found Jessica and slipped in line behind her.

It wasn't long until the music started and we began walking in, following each other in a line to our rows. Jessica and I were towards the back, and from where I was sitting I could see my parents, sitting with Edward's family on the bleachers to the right. I couldn't tell, but it looked like our moms were talking. I hoped that meant there were no hard feelings from Mrs. Cullen towards my mom.

The ceremony started and proceeded to be as boring as graduation ceremonies usually are. The principle talked, the guest speaker—Forks town mayor—spoke, the salutatorian and valedictorian spoke, and finally they began calling names. Edward was sitting at the end of the second row, his chair closest to the stage ramp.

When his row was finally called, I smiled brighter, excited to see him cross the stage.

When there were only a few names left before him, I noticed that Emmett was standing beside him. But Emmett's last name started with an M, so I had no idea why he was up there, too.

The principle called Edward's name and Edward began pushing himself forward, but before he even got halfway across the stage, he stopped.

Emmett was beside him, and no one seemed to know what was going on.

I glanced up at his parents to see if they knew what was going on, but they looked as confused as I was.

I looked back at Edward just as Emmett bent down to put his arm around Edward's back under his shoulders, using one arm to brace him and putting his free hand over Edward's, which was on Emmett's shoulder.

"Bella, what's happening?" Jessica asked me, but I was too shocked to answer.

Slowly, and incredibly wobbly, Emmett lifted Edward up, and for the first time since I'd know him, I was looking at Edward standing on his feet.

Then, so slowly, in the middle of a dead quiet gym, Edward put one foot in front of the other and took a careful step forward.

And then another.

Until he was in front of Principle Green, holding out a hand to shake and then accepting the diploma handed to him.

I felt Jessica grab my hand and grip tightly, and that's when I finally realized the stream of tears falling down my cheeks.

"Oh my God," she whispered, and the rest of the room was a mix of shocked whispers and awed gasps.

When I looked back to Edward's parents, they were crying. So was Alice. So was my mom. Phil and dad had their mouths open in shock. It was clear that no one knew this was going to happen.

Emmett helped Edward walk a little further to the other side of the stage where someone from the faculty was waiting with Edward's chair. I hadn't even noticed anyone moving it to the other side for him.

Edward glanced out at the rest of us as Emmett stood beside him, holding most of his weight so that Edward could continue to stand. And then, his eyes met mine, because I was now standing, even though I knew I probably shouldn't be.

Edward looked directly at me and winked before letting Emmett set him back in his wheelchair.

I was awestruck. After losing so much that mattered to him—football, a girlfriend and best friend who betrayed him during his most vulnerable time, his mobility, and his self-esteem—he was reclaiming himself, quite literally one step at a time.

I had no idea what this really meant. If Edward would be able to do it again. Or if he'd ever be able to without an Emmett holding him up.

I only knew that my boyfriend—this insecure, funny, determined man—was walking for the first time after spending the last year and a half in a wheelchair. I knew that I'd never felt more proud or amazed by or in love with another human being...until him.

* * *

 **The end.**

 **Tell me your thoughts. And tell me about your tattoos. I have five.**


	19. Epilogue

**Here it is, friends. The final chapter, the epilogue and the conclusion of these sweet characters. I've loved writing this and enjoying your kind reviews and love. Thank you for all of the support and for loving these characters as much Chicsarah and I do.**

 **I am also very delighted to share that "Until You" was voted number 1 in the Top 10 fics completed in February by the www . twifanfictionrecs . com . Thank you to all who voted for this story and to the awesome group at TwiFanfictionRecs for putting these polls out each month to honor the limitless talent of Fan Fic writers.**

 **Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable characters herein. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

7 years later

"Meg, come here. Meghan. Meghan Barkle, get in here now!" I called, watching the large golden retriever sniffing at the edge of the fence in our small back yard.

She looked up then and trotted towards the back door, the sound of the treats in the bag I was shaking enough to beacon her to me.

"It's starting to rain, sweet girl. And you just got groomed. You smell too good to get stinky again this quickly," I explained to her, watching as she ignored me in favor of the chicken jerky she was gnawing on.

"Come on, daddy will be home soon," I told her, my breath catching as I said it, my step faltering.

I shook it off and kept walking through our small townhome, turning right into the bedroom and plopping myself on the edge of the bed.

Meghan followed me in, jumping up on the bed as she licked her lips. She circled three times before flopping onto the bedspread. She was the main reason I made the bed every day, so I could at least keep the sheets somewhat clear of her long, strawberry blonde hair.

"You think it's going to be okay, baby girl?" I asked her, stroking her head and thinking back to when we found her a little less than a year ago.

Edward was doing his clinical that day at a local vets office in Seattle, where we'd lived since college. He was about to finish his third year of veterinary school post-undergrad. I was at work when my phone rang, and Edward filled me in on the dog they'd found sleeping beside a dumpster on a pile of magazine pages behind a near by McDonalds. They'd scanned her for a microchip and posted her all over social media, but based on how small she was for her adult age, and how covered in fleas she was, they assumed she was homeless. No one ever came forward to claim her, but they'd received hundreds of applicants for adoption. That didn't matter, though, because once I'd seen her, I knew she had to be ours.

One of the magazine pages she'd been laying on was a front page from People, with details about the upcoming royal wedding. And so, Meghan Barkle was named and became our fur baby.

She was exactly what Edward and I needed last year. His school and clinical schedules were demanding, and my first year of work was hard on my nerves and emotions. She let us snuggle her and cry into her fur many times in the last year. And it was on her collar that Edward had strung the solitaire diamond ring he'd used to propose to me over the summer.

I looked down at the diamond on my left hand, a promise that we would one day marry. Many people expected us to have gotten engaged and married sooner, but we were both so focused on school, and neither of our degrees were cheap. We'd bought a small townhouse after we finished undergrad, because the mortgage was more affordable than Seattle apartment rent. We worked part time jobs in between school to pay for it and accepted the gracious help of our parents during more difficult times.

We'd both decided that marriage could wait and we'd just "live in sin" until we had time to plan a wedding.

What I didn't know was that Edward had saved for and bought a ring during that time, and last summer, at a BBQ at his parents, he'd called for Meghan to come over. Then, using the cane he walked with, he carefully got down on one knee in front of our family and friends and asked me to marry him.

We were waiting one more year, until he was done with veterinary school, to really start wedding planning.

But a giant wrench was about to be thrown in our plans, and I was completely terrified of how he'd feel about it.

While Edward spent most days in clinicals and working with a local vet, I was in my second year as a guidance counselor at Ballard High School.

I'd studied psychology at University of Washington, the standard fall-back for a lot of students who had no idea what they wanted to major in. Around my junior year, when I was a dorm RA, I ended up spending a lot of time with younger girls, talking them through boy troubles, school troubles, home sickness, and the general hardships of being a college freshman.

Edward pointed out that I'd always had a knack for talking with people during their harder moments. I'd helped Lauren with the Tyler situation, I'd talked to Eric for hours, holding him and letting him cry when he stayed with us for a week after his breakup with Kevin, I'd been the one to console Alice when Jasper left for school in Texas and they'd eventually called it quits. And Edward had reminded me that, during the hardest part of his life, I'd come along and helped him build back his self-esteem and self-worth. He encouraged me to pursue a career of helping people. I wasn't pulled to be a psychologist or psychiatrist, but I'd gone on to study counseling and get a Masters degree in school counseling. Sure, a lot of it was paperwork, class scheduling, and helping students stay on a path to graduate. But a lot of it was working daily with students with family troubles, from abusive situations, with peer mediations, and several unplanned pregnancies.

I took a deep breath at that last thought and glanced up at the dresser in Edward's and my bedroom, where our future sat on the corner of it, in the form of three different tests all with three very similar results.

"I'm nervous, sweetie," I said to Meghan, stroking her hair as I'd done every day, often when I was anxious.

Meghan was the first pet we had since losing Clara so many years ago. She couldn't come to school with us, but she'd lived with Edward's parents until our senior year. She passed away peacefully after 15 years of life, nearly five of those with us, and it broke our hearts in ways we couldn't have expected.

But we got through it together and vowed that when we were ready, we'd open our hearts to another.

Pretzel still lived happily with my dad—and Sue—in Forks. My dad had bonded so much with him while I was away at school that there was no way I could have ever taken him.

He was older now, but still had a spring in his step and still slept on my dad's belly most nights.

I looked up when I heard the sound of Edward's car pull up to the house.

"He's home. It's now or never," I told Meghan, leaning down to kiss her furry head before walking out of the bedroom.

I stepped into the living room as Edward walked through the door—a sight I'd never get tired of.

After our graduation, he'd continued intensive physical therapy. Each day saw more and more improvement in his mobility. A year later, he was walking with only the help of a cane, which he still needed. His walk was rigid, and he had a pronounced limp, but he did it on his own and he'd regained the freedom once lost to him.

He still needed to sit often, and his legs got sore quickly with a lot of walking, but it never slowed him down.

"Hey baby," he called, hanging his coat on the rack in the foyer.

"How are my girls?" He asked, moving slowly into the living room. Meghan came running at the sound of his voice, going straight for him.

Edward sat down in the recliner and as was their daily ritual, she climbed into his lap, put her paws on his shoulders, and gave him her version of a doggy hug.

It was the cutest thing in the world.

"Hey babe," I told him shakily, knowing I could only put this off for so long.

"How was your day?" He asked as Meghan settled down and into his lap.

"It was...long," I sighed.

"You okay, love? Did something happen at work?" He asked.

"No, nothing. I just...um..." I started.

"Sorry, hold that thought," Edward said, reaching into his pocket for his phone, which had chimed several times in a row. Meghan climbed off of his lap and walked over to her food bowl, munching on her kibble.

"Everything okay?" I asked him, noticing the crease in his eyebrows as he typed back.

"Yeah, I think so. That was Dr. Howard. We had a litter of puppies today, and one isn't doing as well as we hoped. He was asking my opinion on a treatment plan," he replied.

"Wow, that's something, yeah? He's consulting you for advice?" I smiled.

He grinned back at me and winked before setting his phone on the arm of the chair beside him.

"So, what do you want to do for dinner?" He asked, changing the subject. He was so good at his studies, and this wasn't the first time he'd been asked for advice. Edward was born to be in medicine, and he thought in ways others didn't. He was brilliant.

"Oh, I..." I started, but my stomach was in far too many knots to think about food. I was a little afraid for his appetite once I told him my news.

"We could just go down to the deli," he suggested.

"Sure, yeah," I nodded, trying desperately to find my window of opportunity.

"Hey, you sure you're okay?" He asked, sitting up.

"Well, I...I need to talk to you about something," I told him.

"Bella, baby you're making me nervous," he said, using his cane to slowly stand and move over to the couch, sitting beside me.

"It's okay. Everything's okay. I think," I rushed.

"Sweetie, talk to me," he encouraged, taking my shaking hand into his.

"Okay," I said, taking a deep breath. "Remember the night of Emmett and Rosalie's wedding?" I asked.

He nodded, and my mind went back to that night, nearly a month ago now.

The two of them had been engaged for two years before finally tying the knot on a snowy night in January.

They'd gotten married at a lovely hotel here in Seattle, and all of our friends had come in for the occasion.

We'd spent an amazing evening dancing, drinking, and laughing. Jasper had come in from Texas, and I was pretty sure he and Alice had been talking daily ever since. She'd even text me last week that she was flying down to spend spring break with him, since she was in her senior year of college. I was happy to know that their particular flame may be rekindled.

Eric, Angela, Jessica, Mike, and Ben had all been there. Eric had a new date on his arm, and looked fabulous wearing his own recently launched line of makeup.

Angela and Ben were still together, both teaching at Forks High and having gotten married before any of us were even legally able to drink. Mike was managing his parents' outdoors store, and Jessica was working in PA as a dental hygienist. They hadn't been officially together in a long time, but they were still hooking up when the occasion arose. I was certain the wedding had been an occasion.

Around midnight that night, after Emmett and Rose had gone up to their room and the dance hall had cleared out, Edward and I climbed into an Uber to head home.

"That was an amazing wedding," I said, sitting back and kicking my heels off.

My bridesmaid dress was long and strapless, so I was wrapped in Edward's coat to keep warm. He was wearing his groomsmen tux, but had taken the bowtie off. Even after a long night of drinking and dancing, he looked incredible sitting there in the darkness of the car.

"It was," he agreed, reaching for my hand and lacing our fingers together as he did every time we were in a car together. Even after all these years, he always had to be touching me.

"One day ours will be too," he said, lightly tapping the diamond on my hand.

I leaned over and rested my head against his shoulder. He kissed the top of my head before leaning his cheek against it.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you," I whispered back.

When we got home, we were both exhausted and in need of a shower.

Deciding we'd save time and water, we stripped down and climbed into our shower together.

Edward often still sat while showering to give his legs a break, so he sat behind me as I lathered up.

I felt his hands on my back side, using the slick soap and hot water to trace a light path.

I turned around and lathered shampoo into my hands, reaching up to wash his hair and scratch at his scalp the way he loved.

He put his hands on my hips and pulled me to him, his erection lightly pushing against me.

Wordlessly, I spread my legs and straddled him, sliding onto him with only the sound of the beating water and our breaths echoing off of the tiles.

It took neither of us long to build and fall with each other, the feel of him pumping into me enough to push me to ecstasy.

Our lips met in lazy kisses until the water began to cool. We rinsed off, got out, and climbed naked into bed that night, exhausted and deliriously happy.

It wasn't until yesterday, when I was at the pharmacy picking up the new birth control I was starting after getting my IUD removed two months ago, that I realized my always regular period was late.

I rushed through the store grabbing more than planned, but Edward had been home by the time I got there. I didn't want to alarm him unnecessarily, so I left the tests in the car and put all of my energy into not worrying.

As soon as he'd left for work this morning, I'd peed into a cup and took the first test. And then the second. And then the third.

Now here I sat, looking into Edward's expectant, worried eyes, almost a month to the day of the wedding.

"Well, you remember when we got home, in the shower..." I said.

"Yeah," he smiled, "I remember."

"Well, um, I was, you know, not on the pill. Because I'd had my IUD removed a few weeks prior," I explained.

"Yeah, because you'd wanted to go back on the pill to help with your skin," he nodded, still not catching on.

"Right. Well, so, we also didn't use a condom," I whispered.

"We rarely do," he shrugged.

"Yeah," I nodded, and I could see his eyes morph from confusion to understanding.

"But the doctors said...that the chances were like, 10% at most. That the accident had done too much damage. That without additional treatments, there was virtually no chance of..."

"...pregnancy," I confirmed.

"Whoa," he said. "You're...sure?"

He asked. His face looked nervous, but not upset.

I stood up then, walking into the bedroom to grab the tests from our dresser.

When I got back, I handed him the first one, the one with two pink lines.

"Okay. Okay," he said again, staring at it. "But, did you take more than one?" He asked.

I handed him the second one, the one with the little blue plus sign.

He blew out a breath, staring intently at the two tests in front of him.

"These can be wrong though. I mean, they've been known to be. Because of the dye in them and stuff," he explained. His basic medicine classes from before vet school had taught him that.

I handed him the third test, the digital one that simply read "Pregnant" on the tiny screen.

Edward looked up at me then.

Carefully, he set the tests on the coffee table. He stood up, his hands holding mind.

"Bella," he breathed, his lips twitching into what looked to be a smile.

"Yeah," I nodded.

"We're really having a baby?" He asked.

"It looks like it," I smiled, watching as tears formed in his eyes.

He wrapped his arms around me then, and did something he'd never even attempted to do. He picked me up, clutching me to him, and spun me around and around.

We laughed through our tears, and in that moment, I knew that we'd only ever be this happy and in love, and that soon, we'd have a tiny little version of us to share this beautiful life with.

"I can't wait," he whispered, setting me down and sitting back on the couch as I stood in front of him. He put his arms around me and hugged me around the waist, placing his cheek to my stomach.

"I didn't know I could be this excited until just a few moments ago. Until you, little one. Until you," he whispered.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading.**


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